October 24, 2005
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 24, 2005 – Lipomics Technologies Inc., a privately
held company that develops tools for assessing and understanding complex metabolic
processes using proprietary technologies for lipid metabolite analysis and interpretation,
today announced that Professor Gökhan S. Hotamisligil M.D., Ph.D., has joined
Lipomics’ Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
He joins Dr. Arthur (Art) A. Spector, M.D., who is Professor of Biochemistry and
Internal Medicine at Iowa University and a renowned investigator in inflammatory lipids
and eicosanoids, as the two newest members of the Lipomics’ SAB. Professor Spector
joined Lipomics’ Scientific Advisory Board in November 2004.
Dr. Spector is University of Iowa Foundation Distinguished Professor, University of
Iowa and Dr. Hotamisligil is James S. Simmons Professor of Genetics and Metabolism
and the Chair of the Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases at Harvard
University’s School of Public Health.
A globally recognized leader and contributor in his field, Hotamisligil’s research efforts
focus on the study of regulatory pathways controlling glucose and lipid metabolism,
particularly the biochemical and genetic basis of human metabolic and inflammatory
diseases that include obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and asthma.
His discoveries include the identification of molecular pathways that link obesity and
diabetes, the identification of molecular links between pathogen and nutrient sensing
systems, the discovery of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) as a key inflammatory kinase
involved in the integration of immune and metabolic responses and type 2 diabetes. Most
recently, he identified fatty acid binding proteins as key links between macrophage and
adipocyte function in metabolic syndrome and discovered endoplasmic reticulum stress
as a core mechanism that underlies systemic metabolic homeostasis.
"I am delighted to have a person with Dr. Hotamisligil's experience in metabolism join
our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Steve Watkins, Lipomics’ chief scientific officer.
“Gökhan will be a tremendous asset to Lipomics’ efforts to understand the underlying
biology of inflammatory and metabolic processes as they relate to important diseases and
to identify fundamental markers of health and disease.”
“I greatly appreciate the opportunity to join the scientific board of such an entrepreneurial
and innovative organization as Lipomics,” said Gökhan Hotamisligil. “Challenges in
measuring and interpreting lipids have led to their having often been overlooked in the
development of biomarkers and diagnostic tools. Yet, because lipids are such ubiquitous,
diverse and critical components of metabolism, they provide incredible insights into the
function of cells, and how that function is changed by the environment, genes, and
diseases. For the first time, we have the ability to look at changes in all lipid metabolites
at once and the potential of linking those changes with defined molecular processes and
disease pathogenesis.”
“We are very pleased to have both Professors Hotamisligil and Spector join us at
Lipomics,” said Tom Anderson, Ph.D., CEO of Lipomics. “Their depth of experience in
understanding the metabolic basis of disease complements Lipomics’ capabilities in
metabolic profiling, with the promise of creating exciting insights in the pursuit of more
effective therapies.”
“It is gratifying to see Lipomics moving the most recent advances in lipid science into
drug discovery and clinical diagnostics, so that our advancing knowledge concerning
lipid mediators of metabolic processes can be applied to improving human health and
well-being,” adds Dr. Spector.
Dr. Spector’s research focuses on the role of fatty acids and their derivatives in biological
systems. His particular focus is in polyunsaturated fatty acids that are substrates for
synthesis of bioactive lipid mediators implicated in vasodilation and vasoconstriction,
protection against vascular disease, and neural function. Specific lipid metabolites under
investigation by Dr. Spector include epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs),
dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs), 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) and
the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).