Dr. Julia A. Johnson is a research associate at the New York Obesity Research Center. She received her Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University in 1999. Her Ph.D. dissertation research demonstrated that visceral obesity is independently related to impaired insulin regulation of lipolysis and glucose transport in subcutaneous fat cells from Caucasian and African-American women.

Her primary research interest is fat cell metabolism in relation to metabolic disorders in obesity. Adipose tissue secretes proteins called adipokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, leptin, adiponectin) as well as other inflammatory mediators. Some of these adipokines may be implicated in the development of insulin resistance and its associated conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. One of Dr. Johnson's current areas of research is examining differences in adipokine production among upper body (visceral and subcutaneous abdominal) adipose tissue depots, and the regulation of their production by PPAR-gamma agonists (thiazolidinediones).

Her current research interests also include the following: (a) potential metabolic factors associated with PPAR-gamma agonist-mediated weight gain; (b) altered adipose tissue triglyceride turnover and adipokine production in lipodystrophy associated with HIV infection and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART); and (c) the regulation of leptin-mediated lipolysis in adipose tissue.

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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Julia A. Johnson, Ph.D.
Obesity Research Center
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
Babcock Building, Rm. 1022
1111 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10025
Phone: (212) 523-4165
Fax: (212) 523-4830
E-mail: jaj7@columbia.edu or JAJohnso33@aol.com