The O'Connell Lab
The overarching goal of my NIH-funded research program is to understand the neural control of appetite and how diet and body weight affect the excitability of the neurons in key CNS circuits responsible for food intake.
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At its root, obesity is caused by eating too much, but it is now apparent that obesity is associated with dysfunction in appetite circuits in the brain. Thus, any successful and lasting treatment must address these appetitive circuits to ultimately modify food intake and energy expenditure. To this end, the overarching goal of my NIH-funded research program is to understand the neural control of appetite and how diet and body weight affect the excitability of the neurons in key CNS circuits responsible for food intake. There are two major on-going projects in my lab that aim to tackle this question from different angles, one focused on AgRP neuronal excitability and the second on the role of astrocytes in energy balance and obesity.
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Featured ArticleOctober 08, 2024How diabetes risk genes make cells less resilient to stress
Some genetic factors predisposing people to diabetes might change the way pancreatic cells respond to molecular stress, researchers at The Jackson Laboratory discovered. -
Media ReleaseJuly 24, 2024New analysis - targeted Alzheimer’s research and drug discovery
Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory offer the first comprehensive ranking of the relative role and significance of every known gene and protein in the development of Alzheimer’s Disease in advance of the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, July 28 -
Featured ArticleApril 25, 2024Postdocs discuss neurodegenerative conditions for 'Scientifically Speaking'
JAX’s 'Scientifically Speaking' virtual series continues May 7, featuring two postdoctoral associates taking on the challenge of neurodegenerative disease. -
Featured ArticleMarch 14, 20242024 Paigen Fellowship recognizes postdoctoral talent
The Paigen Fellowship supports postdoctoral associate Abdulfatai Tijjani's humanistic approach to research.
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ArticleJuly 29, 2024MODEL-AD drives progress for Alzheimer’s research
The July issue of Alzheimer’s & Dementia spotlights progress by MODEL-AD and its work to create better models for Alzheimer’s disease research and catalyze progress in the field. -
ArticleJuly 24, 2024Researchers are closing in on a mouse model for late-onset Alzheimer’s research
Mice don’t get Alzheimer’s—and while that’s good news for mice, it’s a big problem for biomedical researchers seeking to understand the disease and test new treatments. Now, researchers at The Jackson Laboratory are working to create the first strain of mice that’s genetically susceptible to late-onset Alzheimer’s, with potentially transformative implications for dementia research. -
Blog PostApril 03, 20245 Things: Diseases that are understudied and/or Stigmatized
Examining five diseases and conditions that are underfunded, understudied, and/or wrongly stigmatized that JAX is working to better understand. -
Blog PostMarch 01, 2024Intersectional Genetics: Cre-lox with a twist
Cre-lox technology initially represented the pinnacle of sophistication; but as it drove scientific breakthroughs and advanced understanding, more refined questions arose, creating the need for an even more sophisticated tool.