Tara TeSlaa

Tara TeSlaa is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), focusing on metabolic diseases and their mechanistic links to tissue dysfunction. Her work integrates in vivo stable isotope tracing to explore nutrient utilization in conditions like type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

• 2007: B.S. in Biochemistry, Mathematics, and Biotechnology from St. Peter’s University
• 2008: M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from UCLA
• 2017: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from UCLA
• 2017-2022: Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University’s Rabinowitz Lab
• 2022–present: Assistant Professor at UCLA

Her lab investigates two primary areas: (1) the role of glycolysis in red muscle fibers (type I/IIA) under sedentary conditions and its implications for insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes, and (2) metabolic drivers of fibrosis in NAFLD/NASH progression. Current efforts aim to identify therapeutic targets through mechanistic insights into nutrient fluxes and metabolic reprogramming.

Recent publications highlight her expertise in serine metabolism, lactate regulation, stable isotope tracing, and metabolic imaging. Key themes include NADPH-dependent lipogenesis, TCA cycle dynamics in tumors, and interplay between diet, chemotherapy, and cancer metabolism.

She has previously collaborated with Princeton University’s Rabinowitz Lab and employs advanced tools such as genetically encoded biosensors and photothermal nanoblade technology to dissect metabolic pathways.