Enrique Saez, PhD
Professor
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Research Focus
Our lab is interested in two broad themes related to the regulation of energy balance in mammals: Nuclear receptors as nutrient sensors - Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors that sense dietary components such as lipids, vitamins and cholesterol derivatives. We are interested in identifying novel nutrient signaling pathways that involve nuclear receptors. Using high-throughput cell based and biochemical screens as well as a variety of animal models we hope to discover diet-derived physiological signaling pathways. Genetic regulation of energy storage - Excess energy is stored in adipose tissue. We are using genomic and chemical approaches to identify novel genetic regulators of adipose tissue formation and to examine their role in metabolic disease. By enhancing our understanding of how diet influences gene expression and the genetic regulation of energy balance, we aim to uncover novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Select Publications
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Wiseman, R L.; Sukiasyan, Ara; Saez, Enrique; Rius, Bibiana; Powers, Evan T.; Madhavan, Aparajita; Kok, Bernard P.; Grandjean, Julia M.; Galmozzi, Andrea; Albert, Verena; Alabi, Adekunle Pharmacologic IRE1/XBP1s activation promotes systemic adaptive remodeling in obesity.. Nature communications 2022, 13, 608.
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Kok, Bernard P.; Ghimire, Srijana; Kim, Woojoo; Chatterjee, Shreyosree; Johns, Tyler; Kitamura, Seiya; Eberhardt, Jerome; Ogasawara, Daisuke; Xu, Janice; Sukiasyan, Ara; Kim, Sean M.; Godio, Cristina; Bittencourt, Julia M.; Cameron, Michael; Galmozzi, Andrea; Forli, Stefano; Wolan, Dennis W.; Cravatt, Benjamin F.; Boger, Da L.; Saez, Enrique Discovery of small-molecule enzyme activators by activity-based protein profiling. 2020, 16, 997-1005.
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Beyer, Brittney A.; Fang, M.; Sadrian, B.; Montenegro-Burke, J. R.; Plaisted, W. C.; Kok, B. P.; Saez, Enrique; Kondo, T.; Siuzdak, Gary; Lairson, Luke L. Metabolomics-based discovery of a metabolite that enhances oligodendrocyte maturation. Nature Chemical Biology 2018, 14, 22-28.
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Galmozzi, A.; Kok, B. P.; Kim, A. S.; Montenegro-Burke, J. R.; Lee, J. Y.; Spreafico, R.; Mosure, S.; Albert, V.; Cintron-Colon, Rigo G.; Godio, C.; Webb, W. R.; Conti, Bruno; Solt, Laura A.; Kojetin, Douglas; Parker, Christopher G.; Peluso, J. J.; Pru, J. K.; Siuzdak, Gary; Cravatt, Benjamin F.; Saez, Enrique PGRMC2 is an intracellular haem chaperone critical for adipocyte function. Nature 2019, 576, 138-142.
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Madhavan, Aparajita; Kok, Bernard P.; Rius, Bibiana; Grandjean, Julia M.; Alabi, Adekunle; Albert, Verena; Sukiasyan, Ara; Powers, Evan T.; Galmozzi, Andrea; Saez, Enrique; Wiseman, R L. Pharmacologic IRE1/XBP1s activation promotes systemic adaptive remodeling in obesity.. Nature communications 2022, 13, 608.
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Kok, B. P.; Galmozzi, A.; Littlejohn, N. K.; Albert, V.; Godio, C.; Kim, W.; Kim, S. M.; Bland, J. S.; Grayson, N.; Fang, M. L.; Meyerhof, W.; Siuzdak, Gary; Srinivasan, Supriya; Behrens, M.; Saez, Enrique Intestinal bitter taste receptor activation alters hormone secretion and imparts metabolic benefits. Molecular Metabolism 2018, 16, 76-87.
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Parker, Christopher G.; Galmozzi, Andrea; Wang, Yujia; Correia, Bruno E.; Sasaki, Kenji; Joslyn, Christopher M.; Kim, Arthur S.; Cavallaro, Cu L.; Lawrence, R M.; Johnson, Stephen R.; Narvaiza, Iñigo; Saez, Enrique; Cravatt, Benjamin F. Ligand and Target Discovery by Fragment-Based Screening in Human Cells. 2017, 168, 527-541.e29.
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Bar-Peled, L.; Kemper, Esther K.; Suciu, Mihai R.; Vinogradova, E. V.; Backus, K. M.; Horning, B. D.; Paul, T. A.; Ichu, Taka-Aki; Svensson, R. U.; Olucha, J.; Chang, M. W.; Kok, B. P.; Zhu, Z.; Ihle, N. T.; Dix, Melissa M.; Jiang, P.; Hayward, M. M.; Saez, Enrique; Shaw, R. J.; Cravatt, Benjamin F. Chemical proteomics identifies druggable vulnerabilities in a genetically defined cancer. Cell 2017, 171, 696-709.
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Parker, Christopher G.; Galmozzi, A.; Wang, Yujia; Correia, B. E.; Sasaki, K.; Joslyn, C. M.; Kim, A. S.; Cavallaro, C. L.; Lawrence, R. M.; Johnson, S. R.; Narvaiza, I.; Saez, Enrique; Cravatt, Benjamin F. Ligand and target discovery by fragment-based screening in human cells. Cell 2017, 168, 527-541.
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Parsons, William H.; Kolar, Matthew J.; Kamat, Siddhesh S S.; Cognetta, Armand B.; Hulce, Jonathan J J.; Saez, Enrique; Kahn, Barbara B B.; Saghatelian, Alan; Cravatt, Benjamin F. AIG1 and ADTRP are atypical integral membrane hydrolases that degrade bioactive FAHFAs. 2016, 12, 367-372.
