Mechanisms of Cellular Lipid Homeostasis: From Lipid Droplets to Ferroptosis


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Dr. James Olzmann completed his undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Michigan and earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Emory University. He then performed his postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Ron Kopito at Stanford University, where he studied the cellular mechanisms of ER protein quality control. In 2013, he established his independent research group at the University of California, Berkeley where he is the Doris H. Calloway Chair and Professor of Molecular Therapeutics. He holds a joint appointment in the Departments of Molecular & Cell Biology and Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology. Dr. Olzmann’s research group investigates the principles that regulate cellular lipid homeostasis, including the mechanisms that influence neutral lipid storage in lipid droplets and oxidative lipid damage during ferroptosis. His group further aims to develop small molecule tools and therapeutics to target these pathways in disease. Dr. Olzmann’s contributions to the field have been recognized with several honors, such as the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, American Society for Cell Biology Günter Blobel Early Career Award, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator appointment, UC Berkeley Beatriz Manz Award, and Miller Institute Professorship Award.