The Farese & Walther Lab

Ongoing Projects

• Biology of Cellular Energy Metabolism
  The supply and demand for metabolic energy in cells fluctuates. Therefore, organisms have evolved mechanisms to store metabolic energy. The most efficient way cells store energy is in the form of highly reduced carbons found in triacylglycerols (TGs). Although energy storage is inherently beneficial, exceeding the capacity for cells to store TGs has led to metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.
   
• Lysosomal Lipid Metabolism and Neurodegeneration
  Increasing evidence points to the contribution of endosome and lysosome dysfunction in the development of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We study metabolism of the endo-lysosomal system, focusing on how it regulates the metabolism of membrane lipids, in particular sphingolipids. We are testing the hypothesis that accumulation of toxic sphingolipids and glycosphingolipids leads to neurodegeneration in diseases such as ALS, FTD, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
   
• Systems Biology and Metabolism
  Large-scale, quantitative, high-quality data sets often form the basis for discovery. We employ techniques such as mass spectrometry, genome-perturbations screens, and high-content microcopy to generate hypotheses or models for biological processes. For example, our laboratory uses powerful state-of-the-art proteomics and lipidomics to obtain global insights into the regulation of lipid metabolism. Once we have identified important regulatory circuitry, we combine our ability to determine abundances of molecules with methodologies, such as live cell imaging, to generate hypotheses and investigate these dynamic processes on the cellular and physiological level.

Learn more about the mission of our lab