Email

hartig@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor

Medicine
Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas US

Associate Professor

Mol & Cell Biology
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Member

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States

Addresses

BCM-Alkek Building for Biomedical Research (Lab)

ABBR-R612
Houston, TX 77030
United States
hartig@bcm.edu

Education

Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Baylor College Of Medicine

10/2011 - Houston, Texas United States

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Post-Doctoral Fellowship at University Of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

06/2008 - Houston, Texas United States

Cancer Biology

PhD from Vanderbilt University

12/2006 - Nashville, Tennessee United States

Chemical Engineering

BS from North Carolina State University

05/2001 - Raleigh, North Carolina United States

Chemical Engineering

Honors & Awards

Nancy Chang, Ph.D. Award for Research Excellence

Baylor College of Medicine

Protege, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas

Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching and Evaluation

Baylor College of Medicine

Professional Interests

• Molecular Regulation of Metabolism

Professional Statement

We are interested in fundamental aspects of metabolic regulation, particularly how diet and environment influence the co-morbidities of obesity and other energy balance disorders. Recent efforts in our laboratory use modern combinations of mouse and human studies to examine the cell biology within metabolic tissues and identify new modes of endocrine communication in the periphery.

We are always looking for energetic graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to join our group. Candidates are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Hartig regarding potential areas for collaboration.

Our lab recruits graduate students from the Cancer & Cell Biology, Genetics & Genomics, and Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics programs.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Felix JB, Cox AR, Hartig SM "Acetyl-CoA and metabolite fluxes regulate white adipose tissue expansion." Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2021;32:320-332.
• Cox AR, Masschelin PM, Saha PK, Felix JB, Sharp R, Lian Z, Xia Y, Chernis N, Bader DA, Kim KH, Li X, Yoshino J, Li X, Li G, Sun Z, Wu H, Coarfa C, Moore DD, Klein S, Sun K, Hartig SM "The rheumatoid arthritis drug auranofin lowers leptin levels and exerts anti-diabetic effects in obese mice." Cell Metab. 2022;34:1934-1936.
• Masschelin PM, Saha P, Ochsner SA, Cox AR, Kim KH, Felix JB, Sharp R, Li X, Tan L, Park JH, Wang L, Putluri V, Lorenzi PL, Nuotio-Antar AM, Sun Z, Kaipparettu BA, Putluri N, Moore DD, Summers SA, McKenna NJ, Hartig SM "Vitamin B2 enables regulation of fasting glucose availability." eLife. 2023;12:e84077.

Projects

Developmental signals that regulate body fat distribution

White adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that dynamically expands and contracts to meet the metabolic demands of the organism. We are interested in transcriptional pathways that specify the patterning of white adipose tissue depots in normal development and obesity. These projects will ultimately explore pathways and signals that dictate the selective expansion of depot-specific fat cells.

Fundamental Mechanisms of Whole Body Metabolism

We want to pursue conceptual advances that may lead to dietary interventions for body fat regulation in people. Toward this goal, we implement mass spectrometry and whole-body metabolic phenotyping to discover new endocrine interactions among the liver, adipose tissue, intestine, and brain. These projects explore previously uncharacterized mechanisms that control carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and physiological homeostasis.

Memberships

Endocrine Society

Member

American Diabetes Association

Member

Funding

Metabolic Impacts of Type II Interferon Signals in Obesity - #R01DK114356

(08/18/2017 - 06/30/2026) Grant funding from NIH NIDDK

The long-term goal of this project is to understand how inflammation contributes to the co-morbidities of obesity.

Metabolic Impact of FGF-21 in Adipose Tissue and Liver of People Living With HIV - #R01DK126042

(09/20/2020 - 06/30/2025) Grant funding from NIH NIDDK

The goal of this project is to understand how elevated FGF21 expression contributes to fatty liver disease in people living with HIV.

Molecular Regulation of Leptin Bioavailability - #R01DK138018

(03/20/2024 - 02/29/2028) Grant funding from NIH NIDDK

The goal of this project is to understand mechanisms of leptin secretion from adipose tissues.

MicroRNA Regulation of Adipose Tissue Immune Response - #R01DK139397

(09/18/2024 - 05/31/2029) NIH NIDDK

The goal of this project is to understand explore microRNA functions in the adipose tissue microenvironment.