Rachel Perry

Rachel Perry, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Yale School of Medicine with joint appointments in Cellular & Molecular Physiology and Internal Medicine (Endocrinology), and secondary appointments in Comparative Medicine and Neuroscience. She is a principal investigator leading the Perry Lab, which is affiliated with several major research centers including the Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale Cancer Center, and the Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology.

• PhD, Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University
• Postdoctoral Training, Medicine/Endocrinology, Yale University
• B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Yale University

Dr. Perry's research focuses on tumor metabolism, immunometabolism, and exercise physiology, using advanced stable isotope tracer methods and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps to study metabolic flux in obesity, cancer, and inflammatory states. Her lab has demonstrated that hyperinsulinemia drives glucose uptake in tumors, promoting cancer progression, and that mitochondrial uncoupling can serve as a therapeutic strategy. Current work explores the intersection of systemic metabolism with immune function in cancer and sepsis.

The most recent publications from the Perry Lab highlight trends in metabolic reprogramming in cancer, substrate utilization in immune and tumor cells, and mitochondrial function in disease. These studies employ cutting-edge techniques such as isotope tracing, metabolic flux analysis, and in vivo modeling, with applications in breast cancer, melanoma, and metabolic disorders. The research bridges basic science with translational applications, including metabolic therapy and cancer-related fatigue.

• R37 MERIT Award, NIH (2022)
• Young Investigator Award, Melanoma Research Alliance (2021)
• Rising Stars of Cancer Metabolism, New York Academy of Sciences (2021)
• New Investigator Award, American Physiological Society (2023)
• Highly Commended Lab Heroes Award, HelloBio (2024)

Dr. Perry is deeply committed to mentorship and education, currently advising high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees. She is co-instructor of a graduate course in mitochondrial bioenergetics and intermediary metabolism and serves on graduate admissions committees. Her lab fosters a collaborative, inclusive environment and welcomes students through the Yale BBS and Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, and Physiology programs. The Perry Lab is actively involved in method development and interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly with Dr. Andrew Wang’s lab on stress-state metabolism.