Cell Biology Program

The Farese & Walther Lab

Research

The Farese & Walther laboratory investigates cellular lipid and energy metabolism, in particular the mechanisms and physiology of neutral lipid synthesis and storage in lipid droplets. More broadly the lab studies the mechanisms how cells regulate the abundance of lipids, how they store lipids to buffer fluctuation in their availability, and how these processes function in membrane biology and cell physiology, and how dysfunction of these pathways leads to diseases, including cancer, metabolic diseases, and neurodegeneration.

For more information about the Farese and Walther Lab, please visit our website.

Ongoing Projects

  • Biology of Cellular Energy Metabolism
    The supply and demand for metabolic energy in cells fluctuates. Therefore, organisms have evolved mechanisms to store metabolic energy. The most efficient way cells store energy is in the form of highly reduced carbons found in triacylglycerols (TGs). Although energy storage is inherently beneficial, exceeding the capacity for cells to store TGs has led to metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.
     
  • Lysosomal Lipid Metabolism and Neurodegeneration
    Increasing evidence points to the contribution of endosome and lysosome dysfunction in the development of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We study metabolism of the endo-lysosomal system, focusing on how it regulates the metabolism of membrane lipids, in particular sphingolipids. We are testing the hypothesis that accumulation of toxic sphingolipids and glycosphingolipids leads to neurodegeneration in diseases such as ALS, FTD, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
     
  • Systems Biology and Metabolism
    Large-scale, quantitative, high-quality data sets often form the basis for discovery. We employ techniques such as mass spectrometry, genome-perturbations screens, and high-content microcopy to generate hypotheses or models for biological processes. For example, our laboratory uses powerful state-of-the-art proteomics and lipidomics to obtain global insights into the regulation of lipid metabolism. Once we have identified important regulatory circuitry, we combine our ability to determine abundances of molecules with methodologies, such as live cell imaging, to generate hypotheses and investigate these dynamic processes on the cellular and physiological level.

Learn more about the mission of our lab

Publications Highlights

People

Tobias Walther
Tobias Walther

Program Chair, Cell Biology Program; SKI Professor, Weill Cornell; Enid A. Haupt Chair in Cell Biology; MSK Investigator, HHMI

Robert Farese
Robert Farese

Member, Cell Biology Program; SKI Professor; Alfred P. Sloan Chair

Hamed Abdi

Visiting Investigator (HHMI)

Yohannes Ambaw

Research Associate

Pedro Manuel Carpio Malia
Pedro Manuel Carpio Malia

Research Associate

Mohan Chitraju

Research Specialist

Uwe Gritzan

Research Specialist

Yuxuan Han

Postdoctoral Fellow

Emma Johnsson

Graduate Student

Simon Kahan

Research Technician

Leehyeon Kim
Leehyeon Kim

Postdoctoral Fellow

Zahra Masih

Research Technician

Katie Papciak

Scientific Administrative Coordinator

Shubham Singh
Shubham Singh

Postdoctoral Fellow

Brian Suarez
Brian Suarez

Lab Manager

Wei Chun Tang
Wei Chun Tang

Research Specialist

Xiaojun Xiang
Xiaojun Xiang

Postdoctoral Fellow

Ying Xue Xie

Postdoctoral Fellow

Lab Alumni
Aaron Baublis

Senior Research Technician

Chia-Wei Ken Lee

Postdoctoral Fellow

Kun Kenny Wang

Senior Research Scientist

Lab Affiliations

Lab News & Events

Events and Lectures

Open Positions

To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center

To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs

Apply to our Lab

If you are interested in joining our team, please send an application to: [email protected]. The application should include: A cover letter explaining your interest in our lab, Your CV, and the names of three references.

Apply now

Open Positions for Undergraduates

We are always looking for outstanding young scientists to join our team. Our goal is to make innovative discoveries that contribute to a) scientific knowledge of fundamental biological processes, and b) useful knowledge that changes human practice. We aim to provide teaching and an environment that develops outstanding scientists and leaders.

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