Lewin Small

Dr Lewin Small is a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Science, affiliated with the Charles Perkins Centre. He completed his PhD at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research (UNSW, 2018), focusing on lipid-induced insulin resistance, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Copenhagen investigating circadian rhythms and energy metabolism. His research examines the interplay between diet, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health, with a focus on insulin action, energy metabolism, and healthy ageing. He currently leads a project funded by the Australian Diabetes Society Early Career Fellowship (2024).

Key research areas include: energy metabolism regulation, β-cell function, seasonal light effects on peripheral clocks, and diet-induced metabolic adaptations. His work combines proteomics, genetic models, and animal studies to explore mechanisms linking diet, metabolism, and chronic diseases.

Recent publications highlight discoveries in insulin signaling pathways, circadian-driven metabolic adaptations, and proteomic signatures of metabolic health. His 2023 Cell Metabolism study demonstrated seasonal light cycles modulate energy metabolism in mice, while 2023 iScience work revealed metabolic-epigenetic programming in islet macrophages.

• Grants: Characterising diet-regulated peptides to improve metabolic health (2024)
• Advising: Currently mentoring students in metabolic research (specific names not listed).
• Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Prof. Carsten Schmitz-Peiffer's group (metabolic signaling) and Prof. Stephen Simpson's team (nutritional science).