Research Interests
Welcome! We are a basic science research laboratory at the University of Michigan. Our interests are in discovering novel and fundamental insights related to iron and manganese biology in physiology and disease.
We are currently focusing on the following projects:
I. Physiological Role of Manganese in Health and Disease
1) New roles of manganese in gut and metabolic disorders.
2) Brain disorders associated with manganese misregulation.
II. Physiological Role of Iron in Health and Disease
1) Brain iron overload disorders & Neurodegeneration of Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA).
2) Developing new approaches for treatment of iron imbalance disorders.
III. Metalloepigenetics
1) Role of metals in chromatin biology.
2) Impact of metals on neurological disorders.
Welcome! We are a basic science research laboratory at the University of Michigan. Our interests are in discovering novel and fundamental insights related to iron and manganese biology in physiology and disease.
We are currently focusing on the following projects:
I. Physiological Role of Manganese in Health and Disease
1) New roles of manganese in gut and metabolic disorders.
2) Brain disorders associated with manganese misregulation.
II. Physiological Role of Iron in Health and Disease
1) Brain iron overload disorders & Neurodegeneration of Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA).
2) Developing new approaches for treatment of iron imbalance disorders.
III. Metalloepigenetics
1) Role of metals in chromatin biology.
2) Impact of metals on neurological disorders.
Recent News & Publications
- 2022 June, Our manuscript, "A small molecule redistributes iron in ferroportin-deficient mice and patient-derived primary macrophages." is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A. Congrats team! [Pubmed]
- 2022 June, We're excited to welcome a new postdoctoral research fellow Sangnam Kim to the lab!
- 2022 May, Yuka Nagai joins our lab as a research lab specialist associate. She obtained MS degree in genetic engineering and applies her extensive research skills to the lab. Welcome, Yuka!
- 2021 Dec, Our grant application on NBIA disorder BPAN has been selected for funding in the 2022 Million Dollar Bike Ride Grant Program from the University of Pennsylvania Orphan Disease Center in partnership with the Team NBIA Disorders and BPAN familes with the NBIA Disorders Association.
- 2021 Dec, Our work on "Defining roles of iron in BPAN" is highlighted in the newsletter from NBIA disorders association. [News]
- 2021 Nov, Our manuscript, "A neurodegeneration gene, WDR45, links impaired ferritinophagy to iron accumulation" is published in Journal of Neurochemistry. Congrats team! [Pubmed]
- 2020 December, Our manuscript, "Transcriptome analysis of the cerebellum of mice fed a manganese-deficient diet" published in Frontiers in Genetics. Congrats team! [Pubmed]
- 2020 June, Our review manuscript, "Heavy Metal Exposure and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias" published in Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. [Pubmed]
- 2020 April, Our collaborative manuscript, "Cutting Edge: Activation-Induced Iron Flux Controls CD4T Cell Proliferation by Promoting Proper IL-2R Signaling and Mitochondrial function" published in Journal of Immunology. Dr. Seo is a co-corresponding author on this manuscript. Congrats team! [Pubmed]
- 2020 Feb, Our manuscript, "Impact of dietary manganese on experimental colitis in mice" published in FASEB journal. Congrats team! [Pubmed]