Peter Crawford

Peter Crawford is Vice Dean for Research at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Co-director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and Division Director of Molecular Medicine. He holds the Watson Land Grant Chair in Medicine and is a Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics.

• Vice Dean for Research, University of Minnesota Medical School
• Co-director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute
• Division Director, Molecular Medicine
• Watson Land Grant Chair in Medicine

His research focuses on keto-genesis, mitochondrial function, and metabolic disease, with key applications in metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), neuroscience, and immunometabolism. He explores how ketone bodies influence cardiometabolic health, epigenetic regulation, and therapeutic interventions in obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

Recent publications highlight his work on keto-genesis and keto-lipid signaling in hepatic disease, neural development, and immune cell function. His studies integrate proteomics, metabolomics, and multi-omics analysis to map metabolic crosstalk in disease contexts.

• Watson Land Grant Chair in Medicine (current award)

Dr. Crawford leads the Puchalska-Crawford Lab and collaborates with the Center for Learning Health System Sciences. His work bridges translational medicine and metabolic therapeutics, emphasizing clinical applications of ketone metabolism.