William Prinz

Dr. William Prinz is a Professor and Chair of the Cell Biology Department at UT Southwestern Medical Center since 2022. Prior to this role, he spent 21 years at the NIH and completed postdoctoral training with Tom Rapoport at Harvard Medical School, following his PhD under Jon Beckwith at Harvard Medical School and a B.A. from Vassar College.

His research focuses on organelle biogenesis, intracellular lipid trafficking, and membrane contact site dynamics. Key areas include lipid exchange mechanisms at ER-mitochondria and ER-plasma membrane contacts, ER subdomain formation for lipid metabolism, and lipid droplet/VLDL biogenesis. His lab employs cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, and high-throughput screening.

Publications highlight studies on lipid droplet formation, ER subdomains, and organelle communication via membrane contact sites. His work bridges fundamental cell biology with implications for obesity, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases linked to lipid dysfunction.