Mitchell A. Lazar

Mitchell A. Lazar is the Willard and Rhoda Ware Professor in Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He serves as Director of the Penn Diabetes Research Center and Founding Director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. Dr. Lazar is also Medical Staff at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Chair of the Center and Institute Directors Forum, and Director of the Cox Institute for Medical Research. His work bridges clinical medicine and basic science in the field of metabolic diseases.

Dr. Lazar's educational background includes:

• S.B. in Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1976)
• Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Stanford University (1981)
• M.D. from Stanford University (1982)

His post-graduate training included an Internal Medicine internship and residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital (1982-1985), followed by Clinical and Research Fellowships in Endocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital (1985-1986). He completed additional research training as a Research Associate at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School (1986-1988). He is board certified in Internal Medicine (1985) and Endocrinology and Metabolism (1987).

Dr. Lazar's research focuses on the epigenomic regulation of transcription and metabolism by nuclear receptors, mechanisms of obesity-associated insulin resistance and diabetes, and circadian regulation of metabolism. His laboratory studies transcriptional regulation of metabolism, with particular emphasis on nuclear receptors such as Rev-erb alpha (a key component of the circadian clock) and PPAR gamma (a master regulator of adipocyte differentiation). His team combines genomic, genetic, proteomic, bioinformatic, and metabolic phenotyping approaches to understand how these factors function in mice and humans. The lab also discovered resistin, a hormone linking metabolism to inflammation in metabolic diseases.

Dr. Lazar's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on circadian biology and metabolism, with particular emphasis on how nuclear receptors regulate metabolic processes across different tissues. His work spans multiple disciplines including molecular biology, endocrinology, neuroscience, and immunology, revealing intricate connections between circadian rhythms and metabolic health. Key themes in his recent work include brain-liver communication, adipose tissue biology, epigenetic memory in metabolic tissues, and the role of nuclear receptors in coordinating metabolic responses across the body.

Dr. Lazar has received significant recognition including the named professorship as the Willard and Rhoda Ware Professor in Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, reflecting his substantial contributions to the field.

Dr. Lazar actively mentors the next generation of scientists through his laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. His current lab team includes multiple post-doctoral fellows across various disciplines, graduate students, research specialists, and a lab manager. His lab provides rotation projects for students interested in metabolic research. Dr. Lazar has secured substantial grant funding to support his research program investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases.

The Lazar Lab is a vibrant research environment with a team of scientists working collaboratively on various aspects of metabolic regulation. The lab employs state-of-the-art "omics" approaches combined with genetic and environmental manipulations and detailed metabolic phenotyping. This systems approach has significantly advanced understanding of obesity and diabetes pathophysiology, linking the epigenome to metabolism and stimulating novel translational approaches for treatment and prevention of metabolic diseases.