The Center for Metabolic Health brings together scientists and clinicians across Weill Cornell Medicine and our Tri-I partners to advance the understanding of diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic diseases. Our mission is to drive breakthrough discoveries and develop new therapeutics. Directed by Dr. Laura Alonso, our investigators leverage stem cells, cellular and molecular biology, genetics, proteomics, and nutritional research to uncover the molecular mechanisms of these critical conditions. The Metabolic Phenotyping Center conducts sophisticated metabolic studies in rodent models and delivers the highest-quality assays of blood markers.
Our work is at the forefront of advances in metabolic health, including research on the biology and therapeutic use of GLP-1/GIP agonists to manage diabetes and obesity. We unite faculty across institutions to catalyze transformational team science and collaborative growth, fostering faculty and trainees to address pressing real-world challenges in metabolic health. We are proud to support 47 faculty members (20 PhDs, 18 MDs, and 7 MD-PhDs). Meet our members.
Feb. 23, 2026
A new study led by Center member Dr. Shannon Reilly shows how ordinary fat cells in obese animals can be induced to burn energy stores, generating substantial heat. The study shows that in fat cells called white adipocytes, high levels of fatty acids from fat stores in the presence of a key enzyme called AAC can trigger a process that uses fat to produce heat and increase energy expenditure. They demonstrated that this process can occur in obese mice—implying that it could yield significant weight loss over time.
Feb. 5, 2026
Center member Dr. Jesse Platt has received the ASCI’s Young Physician-Scientist Award, which recognizes physician-scientists who are early in their first faculty appointment and have made notable achievements in their research.
Dec. 17, 2025
Scientists may have been overlooking a powerful driver of genetic alterations in cancer —the everyday nutrients that feed our cells. “Most efforts have focused on known carcinogens—like tobacco smoke or radiation,” said Center Member Dr. John Blenis. “But metabolism has been largely unexplored in this context. Recently, his lab discovered that low levels of folate, a B vitamin essential for cell growth, can trigger specific genetic changes found in several human cancers, including lung tumors.
Dec. 1, 2025
Center Member Dr. Monika Safford has eceived the Mentoring Academy Council Award for Mentoring Excellence in education. The award celebrates faculty who demonstrate exceptional commitment to mentoring students, trainees and fellow faculty across the Weill Cornell Medicine pillars of care, discover and teach.
Nov. 10, 2025
Metabolic Center Member Dr. James Lo's team identified an early step in a cellular process that leads to inflammation in fat cells and may result in type 2 diabetes in people with obesity. The findings, published Oct. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, show that a protein called FAM20C acts as a switch that turns on inflammation and insulin resistance in the fat cells of overweight mice. Genetic techniques to remove or block the FAM20C gene in animals improved their metabolic health, reduced inflammation and increased insulin sensitivity, even when the animals lost no weight.
