James Olzmann, Ph.D.

Research Interests

The biology of cellular lipid homeostasis is a challenging frontier in science and medicine, and many outstanding questions remain. The importance of this field is underscored by the dysregulation of lipid metabolism in numerous diseases, including prevalent metabolic diseases, cancer, and degenerative diseases (e.g., neurodegeneration). Our lab exploits interdisciplinary strategies that integrate systems-level discovery methods (e.g. CRISPR-Cas9 screens and proteomics), chemical biology tools, and cell biology approaches to advance our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate lipid homeostasis. We are particularly interested in understanding the regulation of neutral lipid storage organelles called lipid droplets and the pathways that prevent oxidative lipid damage during ferroptosis. Our primary objectives include elucidating:

1) the cellular responses that combat lipotoxicity such as oxidative lipid damage and ferroptosis,

2) the regulation and functions of lipid droplets,

3) the mechanisms that govern lipid droplet proteome and lipidome composition and dynamics, and

4) the molecular underpinnings that mediate organelle crosstalk in lipid homeostasis.

As we begin to uncover the molecular mechanisms the regulate lipid homeostasis, we strive to develop new therapeutics to target these pathways and improve human health. Ultimately, we aim to tackle difficult and complex problems in biology, catalyze progress, and translate our basic discoveries into novel therapeutics.