Dr. Gökhan S. Hotamisligil is a pioneering physician scientist whose groundbreaking work has reshaped our understanding of metabolic diseases at the molecular level. He currently holds the prestigious James Stevens Simmons Chair of Genetics and Metabolism at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where he has been a transformative leader for over two decades. As Director of the Harvard Chan Center on Causes and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, he oversees a major research initiative addressing global health challenges. Dr. Hotamisligil received his MD from Ankara University Medical School in 1986 and completed his PhD in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School in 1994, establishing the foundation for his exceptional career at the intersection of metabolism and immunology.
Dr. Hotamisligil's seminal research has pioneered the field of immunometabolism, introducing the revolutionary concept of metaflammation to describe the chronic low-grade inflammation underlying metabolic disorders. His laboratory's discoveries regarding the endoplasmic reticulum stress response in metabolic tissues have fundamentally altered the scientific community's understanding of obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis. With over 143,000 citations according to Google Scholar, his work has established critical molecular pathways connecting immune responses with metabolic regulation, creating an entirely new framework for understanding chronic disease pathogenesis. These insights have catalyzed a paradigm shift in metabolic research, transforming how scientists approach the prevention and treatment of the world's most prevalent chronic conditions.
Beyond his own research, Dr. Hotamisligil has been instrumental in establishing immunometabolism as a major discipline within biomedical science, mentoring generations of researchers who now lead laboratories worldwide. As an associate member of the Harvard-MIT Broad Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and Joslin Diabetes Center, he continues to foster interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge basic science with clinical applications. His leadership extends to the Sabri Ülker Center for Nutrient, Genetics, and Metabolic Diseases, where he directs research on the complex interactions between nutrition and genetic factors in disease development. Dr. Hotamisligil's current work focuses on unraveling organelle homeostasis mechanisms and substrate metabolism, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic approaches for obesity- and age-related chronic diseases that continue to threaten global human health.
