Genetics: Chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis have both genetic and environmental risk factors, but understanding the complex interactions between susceptibility genes and the environment has been difficult. I am particularly interested in using integrative genetic studies, also called systems genetics, to elucidate the genetic component of these chronic metabolic diseases. The goal of this work is to identify individual genes and/or the interaction of groups of genes, also called biologic networks, contributing to these diseases.
Microbiota derived metabolites and disease risk: Diet is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease risk and integration of circulating small molecule metabolites, metabolomics, provide potential biomarkers of the disease severity and mechanisms by which atherosclerosis develops. For example, in collaboration with investigators at the Cleveland Clinic, we have recently identified a novel metabolite of dietary choline called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) that is predictive of atherosclerosis in humans and mice. Integrative analysis of this metabolite with expression mapping has confirmed begun to elucidate the mechanisms by which these traits, atherosclerosis, metabolites and transcripts, are related.
Bennett Lab Themes
.jpg)
will take you to the publication reprint.)
