My research program examines how individuals balance energy homeostasis in conditions of excess dietary fat and elevated hormones and how abnormalities in these processes can lead to obesity and chronic disease development such as Type 2 Diabetes. More specifically, my research focuses on the immense functional role of stress (glucocorticoids), gut and pancreatic hormones in adipose tissue metabolism, and other peripheral tissues. I utilize cell culture and whole animal models to tease apart the molecular and cellular regulators of energy expenditure to better understand how they govern body weight, and glucose homeostasis.