{"485701":{"#nid":"485701","#data":{"type":"event","title":"Petit Institute Seminar","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0022Regulation of Cellular Fat Storage at the ER-lipid Droplet Interface\u0022\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHo Yi Mak, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssociate Professor\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDivision of Life Science\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHong Kong University of Science \u0026amp; Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EABSTRACT\u003Cbr \/\u003ELipid droplets are evolutionarily conserved organelles for cellular fat storage.\u0026nbsp; Although close apposition of lipid droplets with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has been shown, the molecular mechanisms that enable their interaction and facilitate neutral fat storage are poorly understood.\u0026nbsp; We have previously shown that physical and functional coupling of lipid droplets to the ER is facilitated by a macro-molecular complex and requires an intact tubular ER network. From a forward genetic screen, we uncovered a role of atlastin, which is required for homotypic fusion of ER membranes, in regulating lipid droplet size. More recently, we propose that nano-scale interaction between ER sub-domains and lipid droplets promotes functional diversification. Using a combination of genetic and imaging approaches, we discovered that a subset of lipid droplets is surrounded by a membranous cage that favors fat storage. Our results have implications on how cellular fat storage and insulin sensitivity can be fine-tuned by lipid droplets heterogeneity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EMAK\u0027s RESEARCH\u003Cbr \/\u003EObesity is the leading cause of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, the so-called Metabolic Syndrome. We are broadly interested in how body fat level is maintained in animals and how it can be disrupted through genetic and dietary perturbations. Our laboratory uses the nematode C. elegans and mammalian cells to elucidate the genetic pathways and molecular mechanisms that regulate food intake, fat storage and mobilization. Most of our studies begin with large-scale forward genetic screens in C. elegans. We then employ genetics, lipid and protein biochemistry, high-throughput sequencing technology, fluorescence microscopy and nanoscopy to address our questions at a molecular level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EFaculty host - \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hang.lu@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, an internationally recognized hub of multidisciplinary research at the Georgia Institute of Technology, brings engineers, scientists, and clinicians together to solve some of the world\u2019s most complex health challenges. With 17 research centers, more than 170 faculty members, and $24 million in state-of-the-art facilities, the Petit Institute is translating scientific discoveries into game-changing solutions to solve real-world problems.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Regulation of Cellular Fat Storage at the ER-lipid Droplet Interface\u0022 - Ho Yi Mak, Ph.D. - Hong Kong University of Science \u0026 Technology"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2016-01-13 16:57:41","changed_gmt":"2017-04-13 21:17:09","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2016-01-19T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2016-01-19T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2016-01-19T10:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2016-01-19 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2016-01-19 15:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2016-01-19 15:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"internal:\/Mak Lab","title":"http:\/\/maklab.ust.hk\/"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"},{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hang.lu@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHang Lu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}