Emilio Mottillo, PhD

he/his/him
Associate Professor, Henry Ford Health Systems
Hypertension and Vascular Research Division

Bio

The overall goal of our research program is to understand how cells store and release lipids and how this process is dysregulated in various metabolic diseases. Cells safely store lipids in organelles called lipid droplets. Our lab investigates the protein interactions that occur on the surface of lipid droplets and how the disruption of these interactions can lead to cardiometabolic diseases such as fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Another major interest is to understand how cells sense lipids and maintain energy homeostasis. By answering these questions we hope to identify targets and develop treatments for cardiometabolic disease. To answer these questions in the lab we utilize a multi-faceted approach that includes molecular biology, cell biology and animal physiology and cutting edge techniques such as real-time imaging of lipid metabolites, super-resolution microscopy and Crispr-Cas9 genome editing.

Colleges

• College of Human Medicine

Education

• Ph.D., Pathology, Wayne State University (2008-09-01—2013-04-30)

Funding

• Molecular and Cellular Analysis of the ABHD5/PNPLA3 Metabolon in lipid homeostasis, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021—2026)

Works

• Lipid Droplet Targeting of ABHD5 and PNPLA3 I148M is required to promote liver steatosis. (2024-10-03)
• SHMT2 reduces fatty liver but is necessary for liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice. Communications Biology (2024-02-12)
• The Intersection of Genetic Factors, Aberrant Nutrient Metabolism and Oxidative Stress in the Progression of Cardiometabolic Disease. Antioxidants (2024-01-10)
• A FRET sensor for the real-time detection of long chain acyl-CoAs and synthetic ABHD5 ligands. Cell Reports Methods (2023)
• Thermogenic Adipose Redox Mechanisms: Potential Targets for Metabolic Disease Therapies. Antioxidants (2023-01-14)
• Current and emerging roles of adipose tissue in health and disease. Biochemical Journal (2020-10-16)
• Adipocyte lipolysis: from molecular mechanisms of regulation to disease and therapeutics. Biochemical Journal (2020-03-13)
• Dynamic interactions of ABHD5 with PNPLA3 regulate triacylglycerol metabolism in brown adipocytes. Nature Metabolism (2019-05-06)

Employment

• Associate Professor, Wayne State University (2024)
• Associate Professor-Research, Michigan State University (2023)
• Associate Scientist, Henry Ford Hospital (2023)