Amber L. Alhadeff, Ph.D.

Research

The Alhadeff lab will unravel the neural circuits that couple nutrient sensing and feeding. Regulating food intake is a complex process that involves assessing when an animal’s nutritional needs have been met. But how does the brain know when we need more nutrients (and are hungry)—and direct us to stop eating once we are full? Neural and hormonal signals are exquisitely sensitive to the presence of nutrients in the gut: The more they detect, the more active these gut cells are and the more strongly they dampen the activity of neurons in the brain’s “hunger centers.” Now, using cutting-edge methods in molecular profiling, genomic analysis, and neural imaging, my lab will identify the specific gut mechanisms for sensing different nutrients and how this information is relayed to brain regions that control eating. By characterizing the molecular and genetic signatures of these nutrient-sensing cells, my work will provide novel targets for treating diseases such as obesity and diabetes.