Mentor Areas
The Lazar laboratory is interested in mechanisms by which nuclear receptors (NRs) regulate gene expression and metabolism. NRs are transcription factors that are activated by binding to small lipophilic ligands (hormones, vitamins, drugs, and metabolites). In the absence of ligand, NRs bind to DNA and function as transcriptional repressors. Repression is mediated by corepressor complexes. Ligand binding alters the receptor, causing corepressor dissociation, coactivator proteins recruitment, and gene transcription to be turned on. We are studying all aspects of these interactions, with special interest in corepressor complexes, thyroid hormone receptor, the orphan receptor Rev-erbα (key component of the circadian clock), PPARγ (NR that is a master regulator of fat cell differentiation, resistin, and anti-diabetic drugs.
Description:
Histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) regulates transcription of many metabolic genes through forming transcription corepressor complexes and interacting with numerous nuclear receptors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and Rev-erbs. The ongoing project is to understand how HDAC3 regulate glucose and lipid metabolism in mouse liver, and how this might contribute to diabetes and obesity.
Students will learn the role nuclear receptors play in the regulation of metabolism. Experience with various lab techniques such as nucleic acid purification, PCR, molecular biology, westerns, and mouse husbandry will be gained. Students will help perform experiment under the direction of an experienced lab member.
Preferred Qualifications
Students should have class work in the sciences and be interested in biomedical research.
Project Website
Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here. Lazar Lab
Details:
Preferred Student Year
First-year, Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Academic Term
Fall
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.