Claudio Javier Villanueva

Claudio Javier Villanueva, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), within the College of Letters and Science. His research program centers on adipocyte biology, lipid metabolism, and metabolic disease, with a focus on brown and beige fat thermogenesis, adipogenesis, and the transcriptional regulation of metabolic pathways.

Education and Training:

• BA in Biology, California State University, San Bernardino (2001)
• PhD in Biomedical Sciences, University of California, San Francisco (2007)
• Postdoctoral training in Gene Regulation, University of California, Los Angeles (2012)

Research Interests:

Villanueva’s lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that govern adipocyte development and function, with an emphasis on how transcriptional networks control energy expenditure and lipid homeostasis. Key areas include:

• Adipocyte Plasticity: Understanding how white, brown, and beige adipocytes interconvert and respond to metabolic stress.
• Thermogenesis: Elucidating the molecular underpinnings of brown and beige fat activation and their roles in systemic metabolism.
• Transcriptional Regulation: Characterizing how transcription factors like PPARγ, TLE3, and PATZ1 regulate adipogenesis and metabolic reprogramming.
• Metabolic Disease: Exploring how obesity impairs adipose tissue function and contributes to systemic metabolic dysfunction.

Research Funding:

Villanueva has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects, including:

• IRACDA at UCLA (K12GM106996, 2016–2026)
• Role of TLE3 in beige adipocyte transcriptional regulation (R01DK103930, 2015–2021)
• Transcriptional regulation of beige adipocytes (R03DK103089, 2014–2016)
• Transcriptional role of TLE3 in brown adipose tissue (K01DK097285, 2013–2016)
• Fatty acid metabolism and DGAT1 deficiency (F31DK065312, 2004–2007)