Naima Moustaid-Moussa

Keywords:

Adipocytes-Molecular aspects of Obesity/diabetes -gene expression and regulation.

Research Area:

Mechanisms of obesity and molecular regulation of adipocyte gene transcription and endocrine function

Description of Research:

I have been interested for several years in understanding regulation of lipid metabolism during nutritional and hormonal manipulations, as well as in disorders such as diabetes and obesity. My research focuses on investigating control of expression of key lipogenic genes by a: insulin, the major player in lipogenesis; b: angiotensin II; a hypertensive hormone recently found to be synthesized and secreted by adipose tissue; c: obesity gene products in particular agouti; and d: nutrients namely fatty acids and carbohydrates. Human adipocytes in primary cultures as well as murine adipocyte cell lines are used in these studies. The ultimate goal of my research is to identify novel genes regulated by the above hormones and nutrients and in diabetes and obesity. Achievement of these objectives will be facilitated by my background and experience in physiology, molecular nutrition and biology as well as by availability of needed equipment to conduct these studies in our department.

Students interested in this area of research are welcome to join my laboratory and help in making significant contribution towards understanding nutritional and hormonal regulation of gene expression.

Contact Information

Naima Moustaid-Moussa
Molecular Genetics and Systems Biology
Professor, Department of Nutrition

UT

Email: moustaid@utk.edu

Degrees

Fulbright Fellow: The Europeen Institute for Chemistry and Biology, Bordeaux, France (2004-2005)

Post-Doctoral: Harvard School of Public Health, Department if Nutrition (1990-1993)

PhD: Endocrinology, The University of Paris, France (1989)