Douglas G. Mashek, PhD
Professor of BMBB and Medicine (Joint Appointment), Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics

Contact Info
Professor of BMBB and Medicine (Joint Appointment), Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics
Head, Division of Metabolic and Systems Biology
Preceptor, Medical Scientist Training Program (Combined MD/PhD Training Program)
Faculty, PhD Program in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics
Faculty, PhD Program in Integrative Biology and Physiology
Faculty, PhD Program in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
MS, Michigan State, East Lansing, MI
BS, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Summary
Awards & Recognition
Professional Associations
Research
Research Summary/Interests
Research in the Mashek laboratory focuses on the relationship between lipid metabolism and the development of metabolic and aging-related diseases. A primary emphasis is on studies involving lipid droplet biology in the context of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Type 2 Diabetes, cancer and aging. A major focus is on understanding how lipid droplets are catabolized and how they communicate within cells to influence cell function. We also conduct pre-clinical and clinical studies to determine how alterations in diet and dietary patterns (fasting, time-restricted feeding, etc.) and exercise alter metabolism to improve health.
Publications
- Chow L, Manoogian E, Alvear A, Fleischer JG, Thor H, Dietsche K, Wang MS, Hodges J, Nair KS, Panda S, Mashek DG. Time restricted eating effects on body composition and metabolic measures in humans who are overweight: a feasibility study. Obesity 2020;28(5):860-869.
- Cui W, Sathyanarayan A, Lopresti M, Aghajan M, Chen D, Mashek DG. Lipophagy-derived fatty acids undergo extracellular efflux via lysosomal exocytosis. Autophagy 2020;19:1-16.
- Najt CP, Khan SA, Heden TD, Witthuhn BA, Perez M, Mead LE, Franklin MP, Karanja KK, Graham MJ, Mashek MT, Bernlohr DA, Parker L, Chow LS, Mashek DG. Lipid droplet-derived monounsaturated fatty acids traffic via PLIN5 to allosterically activate SIRT1. Molecular Cell 2020;77(4):810-824.
- Zhang E, Cui W, Lopresti, M, Mashek MT, Hu H, Mashek DG. Hepatic PLIN5 signals via SIRT1 to promote autophagy and prevent inflammation during fasting. Journal of Lipid Research 2020;61(3):338-350.
- Seibert JT, Najt CP, Heden TD, Mashek DG, Chow LS. Muscle Lipid Droplets: Cellular Signaling to Exercise Physiology and Beyond. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2020;8:S1043-2760.
Teaching
Courses
- BioC 8006 - Biochemistry: Metabolism and Control
- Basic Science Journal Club for Endocrinology Fellows