Smith, Emily Peluso
Emily is in the Immunity, Microbes & Molecular Pathogenesis (IMMP) Home Area of the MBIDP, and joined the CMB Training Program in 2022.
Mentor: Dr. Thomas Vallim
Through my thesis work at UCLA, I am combining my previous research experience with my current passion to combat metabolic disease to investigate how an organelle called the peroxisome regulates metabolism. In the liver, cholesterol is converted into bile acids which serve as essential signaling molecules and act as detergents that mediate the absorption of lipids from the diet. Peroxisomes are cellular organelles required for bile acid synthesis and the oxidation of specific fatty acids, yet their role in lipid metabolism is not fully understood. Furthermore, although peroxisomes are found in every tissue, bile acid synthesis is almost completely restricted to the liver, suggesting that there are unique properties of liver peroxisomes.
Peroxisome biogenesis is mainly coordinated by the peroxin (PEX) protein family; yet the function of PEX proteins beyond organelle biogenesis has not been explored. My proposed studies will expand on the function of PEX proteins specifically focusing on their ability to modulate lipid metabolism, which is important for maintaining lipid and bile acid levels in the body. My research is conceptually innovative in its aim to elucidate how essential metabolic enzymes are trafficked in and out of hepatic peroxisomes, which may inform novel therapeutic strategies to compensate for genetic mutations that affect various metabolic diseases such as peroxisome biogenesis disorder.
