Sean M. Hartig, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Positions
- Associate Professor
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Medicine
Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, US
- Associate Professor
-
Mol & Cell Biology
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Houston, TX, US
- Member
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Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
Addresses
- BCM-Alkek Building for Biomedical Research (Lab)
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ABBR-R612
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
hartig@bcm.edu
Education
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Of Medicine
- 10/2011 - Houston, Texas, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship at University Of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- 06/2008 - Houston, Texas, United States
- Cancer Biology
- PhD from Vanderbilt University
- 12/2006 - Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Chemical Engineering
- BS from North Carolina State University
- 05/2001 - Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
- Chemical Engineering
Honors & Awards
- Nancy Chang, Ph.D. Award for Research Excellence
- ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
- Protege, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas
- Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching and Evaluation
- ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Professional Interests
- Molecular Regulation of Metabolism
Professional Statement
We are interested in fundamental aspects of metabolic regulation, particularly how diet and environment influence the co-morbidities of obesity and other energy balance disorders. Recent efforts in our laboratory use modern combinations of mouse and human studies to examine the cell biology within metabolic tissues and identify new modes of endocrine communication in the periphery.
We are always looking for energetic graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to join our group. Candidates are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Hartig regarding potential areas for collaboration.
Our lab recruits graduate students from the Cancer & Cell Biology, Genetics & Genomics, and Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics programs.
We are always looking for energetic graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to join our group. Candidates are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Hartig regarding potential areas for collaboration.
Our lab recruits graduate students from the Cancer & Cell Biology, Genetics & Genomics, and Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics programs.
Selected Publications
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Cox AR, Masschelin PM, Saha PK, Felix JB, Sharp R, Lian Z, Xia Y, Chernis N, Bader DA, Kim KH, Li X, Yoshino J, Li X, Li G, Sun Z, Wu H, Coarfa C, Moore DD, Klein S, Sun K, Hartig SM. " The rheumatoid arthritis drug auranofin lowers leptin levels and exerts anti-diabetic effects in obese mice. " Cell Metab. 2022 ; 34 : 1934-1936.
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Saha PK, Sharp R, Cox AR, Habib R, Bolt MJ, Felix JB, Ramirez Bustamante CE, Li X, Jung SY, Kim KH, Sun K, Wu H, Klein S, Hartig SM. " The microRNA miR-30a blocks adipose tissue fibrosis accumulation in obesity. " J Clin Invest. 2025 ; 135 : e175566.
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Felix JB, Saha PK, de Groot EL, Tan L, Sharp R, Anaya ES, Li Y, Quang H, Saidi N, Abushamat L, Ballantyne CM, Amos CI, Lorenzi PL, Klein S, Gao X, Hartig SM. " N-acetylaspartate from fat cells regulates postprandial body temperature. " Nat Metab. 2025 ; 7 : 1524-1535.
Projects
- Developmental signals that regulate body fat distribution
- White adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that dynamically expands and contracts to meet the metabolic demands of the organism. We are interested in transcriptional pathways that specify the patterning of white adipose tissue depots in normal development and obesity. These projects will ultimately explore pathways and signals that dictate the selective expansion of depot-specific fat cells.
- Fundamental Mechanisms of Whole Body Metabolism
- We want to pursue conceptual advances that may lead to dietary interventions for body fat regulation in people. Toward this goal, we implement mass spectrometry and whole-body metabolic phenotyping to discover new endocrine interactions among the liver, adipose tissue, intestine, and brain. These projects explore previously uncharacterized mechanisms that control carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and physiological homeostasis.
Memberships
- Endocrine Society
- Member
- American Diabetes Association
- Member
Funding
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Metabolic Impacts of Type II Interferon Signals in Obesity
#R01DK114356 - (08/18/2017 - 06/30/2026)
- Grant funding from NIH NIDDK
- The long-term goal of this project is to understand how inflammation contributes to the co-morbidities of obesity.
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Molecular Regulation of Leptin Bioavailability
#R01DK138018 - (03/20/2024 - 02/29/2028)
- Grant funding from NIH NIDDK
- The goal of this project is to understand mechanisms of leptin secretion from adipose tissues.
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MicroRNA Regulation of Adipose Tissue Immune Response
#R01DK139397 - (09/18/2024 - 05/31/2029)
- NIH NIDDK
- The goal of this project is to understand explore microRNA functions in the adipose tissue microenvironment.
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