معرفی
Katsu Funai is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah. He directs the Funai Laboratory, established in 2013, and is affiliated with the Molecular Biology and Biological Chemistry Ph.D. programs.
Education:
- B.S./M.S. – Boston University
- Ph.D. – University of Michigan
Research Interests: The Funai group investigates how intracellular lipids—particularly mitochondrial membrane phospholipids—control cellular energetics and contribute to metabolic diseases. Using genetic and pharmacological models, the lab explores lipid remodeling in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, liver, pancreatic β-cells, and kidney proximal tubules. Key themes include phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) metabolism, cardiolipin remodeling, lipid peroxidation, and the interface between membrane composition and oxidative phosphorylation efficiency.
Recent work demonstrates that exercise and inactivity dynamically remodel the mitochondrial lipidome, altering respiratory enzyme activity and whole-body metabolic flexibility. The group is also dissecting how lipid-derived reactive species promote sarcopenia and how interventions that restore membrane homeostasis can mitigate age- and obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction.
Funding & Support: Research in the Funai laboratory is currently supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.
Scientific Awards & Recognition: Although no specific awards are listed, Dr. Funai’s papers have been selected for journal covers (e.g., Nature Metabolism 2019) and are widely cited in the fields of metabolism and mitochondrial biology.
Laboratory & Collaborations: The lab maintains active collaborations with investigators across the University of Utah, including Drs. Cox, Drummond, Rutter, and Neufer, and participates in multi-disciplinary training programs such as the Molecular Biology and Biological Chemistry Ph.D. tracks. Trainees and staff have access to state-of-the-art core facilities in metabolomics, lipidomics, mitochondrial physiology, and transgenic mouse models.
