Aldons Lusis

Aldons Lusis is a Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, with joint appointments in the Department of Human Genetics, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics. He serves as Vice Chair of Human Genetics and is affiliated with multiple research institutes, including the Brain Research Institute, CTSI Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and JCCC Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program. His laboratory is located at the Molecular Biology Research Building (MRL) on the UCLA campus.

Dr. Lusis leads a multidisciplinary research program focused on systems genetics, cardiometabolic diseases, and microbiome interactions. His work integrates genomics, metabolomics, and computational biology to dissect mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis, heart failure, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and metabolic syndrome. Key research themes include mitochondrial dysfunction, sex-specific metabolic regulation, and gut microbiome-host crosstalk.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on tissue-organ communication (e.g., liver-heart axis), genetic determinants of mitochondrial function, and therapeutic targeting of metabolic pathways. Research leverages mouse diversity panels, human cohorts (METSIM), and multi-omics approaches to identify novel disease mechanisms.

Dr. Lusis directs a collaborative research environment with extensive NIH funding, including grants supporting investigations into cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes genetics, and environmental impacts on metabolic health. His lab utilizes advanced genomic editing, single-cell technologies, and systems biology pipelines to resolve complex traits.