Michael Dennis

Michael Dennis, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Cell and Biological Systems and the Department of Ophthalmology at Penn State University College of Medicine. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms of altered gene expression in diabetes, particularly through post-translational modifications of translation initiation factors and mTOR signaling.

• Key projects include National Eye Institute-funded work on REDD1 and 4E-BP1 in diabetic retinopathy
• American Diabetes Association-funded studies on hyperglycemia-induced translational control

Research Interests
Dr. Dennis investigates how phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation of eIFs shift mRNA translation in diabetes. His work connects stress proteins like REDD1 to VEGF overexpression in retinal dysfunction and suggests small molecule inhibitors as novel therapeutics for diabetic complications.

Article Trends
Recent publications (2024-2025) emphasize REDD1's role in diabetic nephropathy (podocyte damage) and retinopathy (NLRP3 inflammasome activation). Subfields span retinal biology, renal inflammation, DNA damage, and redox-sensitive pathways.

Scientific Awards

• Samuel Hinkle Junior Faculty Research Award (2019)

Grants & Projects
Current NIH/NEI grants (2021-2025) and completed ADA-funded research (2014-2020) validate his work on diabetes-induced translational dysregulation.