Mitchell Lazar
Encyclopedia
Mitchell Lazar is an endocrinologist and physician
-scientist
widely known for his discovery of the hormone resistin
and his contributions to the transcriptional regulation of metabolism.
Dr. Mitchell Lazar is the Sylvan Eisman Professor of Medicine and Genetics, the Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, and the Director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism at the University of Pennsylvania
.
Dr. Lazar graduated from Syosset High School
, and received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, then received a PhD in Neurosciences and an MD from Stanford University
. He trained in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and in Endocrinology at the Massachusetts General Hospital
before joining the University of Pennsylvania faculty in 1989.
Dr. Lazar's research focus is on the epigenomic regulation of gene expression and metabolism
. He is particularly interested in nuclear receptors, which are master regulators of metabolism. Dr. Lazar has made seminal findings related to the basic mechanisms of nuclear receptor action, as well as their role in obesity and diabetes, including the discovery of the hormone called resistin.
Dr. Lazar has given named lectures throughout the world, and is currently a member of the Board of Scientific Councilors of the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases. He has served as Associate Editor of Diabetes, and is on the editorial boards of Genes & Development, Cell Metabolism, Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Endocrine Reviews, JCI, and Science.
Dr. Lazar has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation
and the Association of American Physicians
, and has received two NIH Merit Awards, the Van Meter Award of the American Thyroid Association
, the BMS Freedom to Discover Award, the Richard Weitzman Award and the Edwin B. Astwood Award Lecture from The Endocrine Society, and the Stanley Korsmeyer Award of the American Society for Clinical Investigation
. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences
in 2006, and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 2008.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
-scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
widely known for his discovery of the hormone resistin
Resistin
Resistin also known as adipose tissue-specific secretory factor or C/EBP-epsilon-regulated myeloid-specific secreted cysteine-rich protein is a cysteine-rich protein that in humans is encoded by the RETN gene....
and his contributions to the transcriptional regulation of metabolism.
Dr. Mitchell Lazar is the Sylvan Eisman Professor of Medicine and Genetics, the Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, and the Director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Dr. Lazar graduated from Syosset High School
Syosset High School
Syosset High School, located on Southwoods Road in Syosset, New York, USA is the only high school for residents of the Syosset Central School District.- Overview :The school was named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 1992–1993...
, and received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, then received a PhD in Neurosciences and an MD from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He trained in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and in Endocrinology at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
before joining the University of Pennsylvania faculty in 1989.
Dr. Lazar's research focus is on the epigenomic regulation of gene expression and metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
. He is particularly interested in nuclear receptors, which are master regulators of metabolism. Dr. Lazar has made seminal findings related to the basic mechanisms of nuclear receptor action, as well as their role in obesity and diabetes, including the discovery of the hormone called resistin.
Dr. Lazar has given named lectures throughout the world, and is currently a member of the Board of Scientific Councilors of the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases. He has served as Associate Editor of Diabetes, and is on the editorial boards of Genes & Development, Cell Metabolism, Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Endocrine Reviews, JCI, and Science.
Dr. Lazar has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation
American Society for Clinical Investigation
The American Society for Clinical Investigation, or ASCI, established in 1908, is one of the nation's oldest and most respected medical honor societies.-Organization and Purpose:...
and the Association of American Physicians
Association of American Physicians
The Association of American Physicians is a medical society founded in 1885 by the Canadian physician Sir William Osler and six other distinguished physicians of his era, for "the advancement of scientific and practical medicine." Election to the AAP is an honor extended to individuals with...
, and has received two NIH Merit Awards, the Van Meter Award of the American Thyroid Association
American Thyroid Association
The American Thyroid Association is a professional organization of some 900 medical specialists. It publishes the journals Thyroid, Clinical Thyroidology and Signal through Mary Ann Liebert....
, the BMS Freedom to Discover Award, the Richard Weitzman Award and the Edwin B. Astwood Award Lecture from The Endocrine Society, and the Stanley Korsmeyer Award of the American Society for Clinical Investigation
American Society for Clinical Investigation
The American Society for Clinical Investigation, or ASCI, established in 1908, is one of the nation's oldest and most respected medical honor societies.-Organization and Purpose:...
. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
in 2006, and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 2008.