Joel Elmquist

Joel Elmquist, D.V.M., Ph.D., is Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Center for Hypothalamic Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He holds the Carl H. Westcott Distinguished Chair in Medical Research and serves as the Maclin Family Professor in Medical Science, honoring Dr. Roy A. Brinkley. As Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Internal Medicine, he promotes high-impact research and oversees infrastructure development.

• Director, Center for Hypothalamic Research
• Vice Chair of Research, Internal Medicine
• NIH-funded research on brain regulation of metabolism

Research Interests: Dr. Elmquist's work focuses on mouse genetics to study how the nervous system regulates energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and metabolic processes. His lab has identified leptin's anti-obesity mechanisms, explored the melanocortin system's role in insulin sensitivity, and established invertebrate models (Drosophila, C. elegans) for neurobiology research. The lab also investigates autonomic neuroscience, including adrenergic receptors in metabolic tissues.

Scientific Awards:

• American Diabetes Association’s 2014 Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award

Labs & Teams: As Director of the Center for Hypothalamic Research, Dr. Elmquist leads a multidisciplinary team studying hypothalamic regulation of metabolic homeostasis. Current lab members include postdoctoral researchers, assistant instructors, research technicians, and visiting scholars.