The Barouch Lab is focused on defining the peripheral cardiovascular effects of the adipocytoki...ne leptin, which is a key to the understanding of obesity-related cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, many of the hormonal abnormalities seen in obesity are mimicked in heart failure. The research program will enhance the understanding of metabolic signaling in the heart, including the effects of leptin, exercise, sex hormones, and downstream signaling pathways on metabolism and cardiovascular function.

The lab also is working to determine the precise role of the “metabolic” beta-3 adrenergic receptor (ß3AR) in the heart and define the extent of its protective effect in obesity and in heart failure, including its role in maintaining nitric oxide synthase (NOS) coupling. Ultimately, this work will enable the exploration of a possible therapeutic role of ß3AR agonists and re-coupling of NOS in preventing adverse ventricular remodeling in obesity and in heart failure.

Lili Barouch, MD, is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology and a member of the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation group at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. view more

Our research interest is crystalized into three main areas:
1. Type-1 diabetes - Our focus is... on understanding how the Fas death pathway regulates the disease and how extracted information can be used to protect high risk individuals and those with new-onset disease.
2. Type 2 diabetes and Obesity - Our lab is studying the role of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) in regulating body fat and glucose clearance.
3. Double negative ??T cells - Our studies suggest a critical role for these cells in protecting kidneys from Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Our current focus is understanding their origin and physiological functions.
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