Paul M. Titchenell, Ph.D.

faculty photo
Associate Professor of Physiology
Department: Physiology

Contact information
Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism
Smilow Center for Translational Research
3400 Civic Center Blvd, Building 421
Room: 12-104
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-573-1872
Lab: 215-573-1875
Education:
B.S. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Dickinson College, 2008.
Ph.D. (Physiology)
Pennsylvania State University, 2013.
Permanent link
 

Description of Research Expertise

Research Interests:
Molecular mechanisms of insulin signaling, insulin resistance, and metabolism

Keywords:
metabolism, insulin, diabetes, obesity, AKT, mTORC1

Research Details:
My research interests are focused on the regulation of metabolism by hormones and nutrients, with a particular emphasis on a master regulator of organismal anabolic metabolism, insulin. Alterations in insulin action underlie metabolic disease and lead to the development of deadly vascular and neuronal complications. Through the use of various techniques encompassing molecular biology, biochemistry, metabolomics, genome-wide transcriptional techniques and whole-animal physiology, the long-term goals of my research program are to decipher the underlying mechanisms driving metabolic deregulation during disease and identify new therapies that improve metabolic control.

Current Lab personnel:
Matthew Gavin (Research Specialist/Lab manager)
Matthew Harris Ph.D. (Postdoctoral Researcher)
Jaclyn Welles Ph.D. (Postdoctoral Researcher)
Dominic Santoleri (PhD student, BMB graduate group)
Anna Garcia Whitlock M.D/Ph.D. (Resident/Fellow)
Megan Stefkovich,(PhD student, CAMB graduate group)
Libby Nunn (PhD student, CAMB graduate group)
Talia Coopersmith (Penn undergraduate-PURM)
Olivia Ong (Penn undergraduate)

Selected Publications

Perry RJ, Camporez JG, Kursawe R, Titchenell PM, Zhang D, Perry CJ, Jurczak MJ, Abudukadier A, Han MS, Zhang XM, Ruan HB, Yang X, Caprio S, Kaech SM, Sul HS, Birnbaum MJ, Davis RJ, Cline GW, Petersen KF, Shulman GI.: Hepatic acetyl CoA links adipose tissue inflammation to hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Cell 160: 745-758, Feb 2015.

Titchenell PM, Quinn WJ, Lu M, Chu Q, Lu W, Li C, Chen H, Monks BR, Chen J, Rabinowitz JD, Birnbaum MJ.: Direct Hepatocyte Insulin Signaling Is Required for Lipogenesis but Is Dispensable for the Suppression of Glucose Production. Cell Metab 23: 1154-1166, Jun 2016.

Quinn WJ 3rd, Wan M, Shewale SV, Gelfer R, Rader DJ, Birnbaum MJ, Titchenell PM.: mTORC1 stimulates phosphatidylcholine synthesis to promote triglyceride secretion. J Clin Invest 127: 4207-4215, Nov 2017.

Jaiswal N, Gavin MG, Quinn WJ 3rd, Luongo TS, Gelfer RG, Baur JA, Titchenell PM.: The role of skeletal muscle Akt in the regulation of muscle mass and glucose homeostasis. Mol Metab 28: 1-13, Oct 2019.

Sostre-Colón J, Uehara K, Garcia Whitlock AE, Gavin MJ, Ishibashi J, Potthoff MJ, Seale P, Titchenell PM.: Hepatic AKT orchestrates adipose tissue thermogenesis via FGF21-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Cell Rep 35: 109128, May 2021.

Jaiswal N, Gavin M, Loro E, Sostre-Colón J, Roberson PA, Uehara K, Rivera-Fuentes N, Neinast M, Arany Z, Kimball SR, Khurana TS, Titchenell PM.: AKT controls protein synthesis and oxidative metabolism via combined mTORC1 and FOXO1 signalling to govern muscle physiology. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 13(1495-514), Feb 2022.

Uehara K, Santoleri D, Garcia Whitlock A, Titchenell PM: Insulin Regulation of Hepatic Lipid Homeostasis. Comprehensive Physiology In press: 4785-4809, Jun 2023.

Uehara K, Lee WD, Stefkovich M, Biswas D, Santoleri D, Garcia Whitlock AE, Quinn Iii WJ, Coopersmith TN, Creasy KT, Rader DJ, Sakamoto K, Rabinowitz JD, Titchenell PM.: mTORC1 controls murine postprandial hepatic glycogen synthesis via Ppp1r3b. J Clin Invest Jan 2024.

Nunn E, Jaiswal N, Gavin M, Uehara K, Stefkovich M, Drareni K, Calhoun R, Lee M, Holman CD, Baur JA, Seale P, Titchenell PM.: Antibody blockade of activin type II receptors preserves skeletal muscle mass and enhances fat loss during GLP-1 receptor agonism. Mol Metab 80: 101880, Jan 2024.

back to top
Last updated: 03/15/2024
The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania