Yaacov Barak, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
PhD, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 1994
Email: baraky@mwri.magee.edu
Research Interest:
Dr. Barak's broad research themes are the placenta and adipose tissue. His lab has a particular interest in the developmental functions of the nuclear hormone receptors PPARgamma and PPARdelta - two key therapeutic targets in metabolic diseases, which also regulate distinct aspects of placental development and metabolism. Projects in the lab investigate the developmental and metabolic functions of both receptors in the placenta as well as the diverse functions of PPARgamma in the life cycle of adipocytes (fat cells), including differentiation, death and regeneration. The research methodology integrates a wide array of gene knockouts and knockins, histological, physiological and molecular phenotyping, studies of stem and progenitor cells, as well as permanent cell lines of both tissues and screens for target genes of both receptors.
Findings facilitated by these approaches have been spawning, in turn, downstream studies that are available as potential thesis projects for interested students. Broad project categories include:
- Functional analysis of PPARgamma and PPARdelta target genes in the placenta.
- Dissection of the integrated transcriptional regulation of prototypic target genes by PPARs and the associated network of transcription factors and cofactors.
- The roles of PPARgamma in the adipocyte life cycle: progenitor cells, adipogenesis, adipocyte death, regeneration and mechanisms of adipose tissue diseases, such as lipodystrophy and obesity/type II diabetes.
Key Publications
Barak Y, Sadovsky Y, Shalom-Barak T. 2008. PPAR signaling in placental development and function. PPAR Res. 2008:142082.
Kim S, Huang L-W, Snow KJ, Ablamunits V, Hasham MG, Young TH, Paulk AC, Richardson JE, Affourtit J, Shalom-Barak T, Bult CJ, Barak Y. 2007. A mouse model of conditional lipodystrophy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:16627-16632.
Barak Y, Kim S. 2007. Genetic manipulations of PPARs: Effects on obesity and metabolic disease. PPAR Res, Vol. 2007:12781.
Shalom-Barak T, Nicholas JM, Wang Y, Zhang X, Ong ES, Young TH, Gendler SJ, Evans RM, Barak Y. 2004. PPARgamma controls Muc1 transcription in trophoblasts. Mol Cell Biol 24:10661-10669.
He W, Barak Y, Hevener A, Olson P, Liao D, Le J, Nelson M, Ong, E, Olefsky JM, Evans RM. 2003. Adipose-specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma knockout causes insulin resistance in fat and liver, but not in muscle. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100:15712-15717.
Barak Y, Liao D, He W, Ong ES, Nelson MC, Olefsky JM, Boland R, Evans RM. 2002. Effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta on placentation, adiposity, and colorectal cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:303-308.
Barak Y, Nelson MC, Ong ES, Jones YZ, Ruiz-Lozano P, Koder A, Chien KR, Evans RM. 1999. PPARgamma is required for placental, cardiac, and adipose tissue development. Mol Cell 4:585-595.
