Judith Simcox
Position title: HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
Email: jsimcox@wisc.edu
Phone: Identify novel lipids in the circulation, determine how their production is regulated, and discover how these plasma lipids function in metabolic disease
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Education summary
Ph.D. University of Utah in the lab of Dr. Donald McClain
Postdoc University of Utah in the lab of Dr. Claudio Villanueva
NIH Biosketch
PubMed Publications
Department Website
Research Focus:
Lipids are the most abundant metabolite in the plasma, accounting for more than 60% of the circulating metabolite pool. These plasma lipids function as stored fuel, structural elements, and signaling molecules. In metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, various lipids are increased including triglycerides, free fatty acids, and sphingolipids. Despite their established biological importance, the majority of observed plasma lipids are unidentified, regulation of their production and uptake is unexplored, and their molecular function in diseases is unknown.
The goal of the Simcox lab is to identify novel lipids in the circulation, determine how their production is regulated, and discover how these plasma lipids function in metabolic disease. We accomplish this goal through using mass spectrometry based lipidomics on plasma from diverse human population studies, allowing for the identification of unknown spectral features that are associated with insulin resistance. We then explore the regulation and function of these plasma lipids in animal models to understand their role in metabolic disease.
Program Activities
- Joined ERP Program: 2024
Trainees
No Current or Past ERP Students