Rana K. Gupta

Rana K. Gupta, PhD, is the W. David and Sarah W. Stedman Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology at Duke University School of Medicine and serves as Section Chair of Basic Sciences within the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute. Previously, he spent ten years on the faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His laboratory investigates the developmental biology and molecular regulation of adipose tissue, with the goal of translating insights into therapies for obesity and metabolic diseases.

Education & Training:

• PhD, University of Pennsylvania (2006)
• Research Fellow, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Cell Biology (2006–2012)

Research Interests:

Dr. Gupta’s work centers on two inter-related themes: (1) the transcriptional networks that establish and maintain white, brown, and beige adipocyte lineages, with a spotlight on the zinc-finger factor ZFP423; and (2) the heterogeneity and functional specialization of adipocyte progenitor cells during healthy versus pathological adipose-tissue expansion. Using single-cell multi-omics, lineage tracing, and metabolic phenotyping in mice and humans, his team deciphers how distinct progenitor pools orchestrate adipogenesis, angiogenesis, and immune remodeling in obesity.

Key Publications:

Across 78 peer-reviewed papers (2010-2025), Dr. Gupta has defined ZFP423 as a molecular brake on adipocyte thermogenesis, uncovered PDGFRβ+ progenitor subpopulations that drive hyperplastic adipose growth, and demonstrated that inducible Zfp423 deletion can convert white adipocytes into energy-burning beige cells to reverse diet-induced obesity. Recent single-cell atlases further reveal sex- and depot-dependent progenitor heterogeneity, providing a roadmap for targeted metabolic therapies.

Scientific Awards & Honors:

• W. David and Sarah W. Stedman Distinguished Professorship

Funding & Training Leadership:

• Principal Investigator on 13 active NIH, ADA, and foundation grants (2021-2029)
• Director, Endocrinology and Metabolism Training Program (NIDDK T32)
• Co-Investigator, Medical Scientist Training Program (NIGMS T32)
• Mentor to 6 postdocs, 4 graduate students, and numerous undergraduates and research technicians

Lab Teams & Collaborations:

The Gupta Lab at Duke is a multi-disciplinary team of postdoctoral fellows (Pablo Morales, Wenxin Tong), graduate students (Ashley Truong), instructors (Jessica Cannavino), and research analysts (Krissy Campbell, Lavanya Vishvanath) collaborating closely with the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute to integrate genomics, physiology, and translational medicine.