Roger D. Cone

Roger D. Cone is the Tadataka Yamada Distinguished University Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Mary Sue Coleman Director of the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan. He holds dual professorships in the Medical School and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and serves as a Research Professor at the Life Sciences Institute. His work focuses on the melanocortin system, linking neuroscience, pharmacology, and metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes.

Research Interests: Cone investigates the role of melanocortin receptors (MC3R, MC4R) and ion channels (Kir7.1) in regulating appetite and metabolism. His studies explore how targeting these pathways could improve treatments for obesity, anorexia nervosa, and diabetes. Recent work highlights the interaction between MC4R and Kir7.1 in clozapine-induced hyperphagia and the potential for structure-based drug design using cocrystal structures.

Scientific Awards:

• Tadataka Yamada Distinguished University Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology

Advising: Cone mentors PhD candidate Katie Emery in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. His lab emphasizes interdisciplinary research bridging molecular physiology and drug development.