Rajatava Basu, Ph.D.

Program Director: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases

Role of immune system in the pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes and diabetes-associated metabolic dysfunction, including the role of chronic & meta-inflammation, microbiome-immune-metabolic crosstalk and neuroinflammation

Responsibilities & Activities

As a program director in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases, I oversee programs focused on the physiologic contribution of the immune system to the development, severity and resolution of non-autoimmune Diabetes, Obesity and associated metabolic syndromes. Research topics under the DEM INFL program areas include: mechanism of crosstalk between the immune and the metabolic systems; mechanisms of environment-microbiome-host immune interactions in regulating metabolic homeostasis during diabetes, obesity and associated metabolic syndromes; metabolic dysregulation influencing the phenotype and function of innate and adaptive immune cells. The program includes novel immune interventions or immunotherapeutic strategies to prevent, halt, or reverse T2 Diabetes, Obesity, and metabolic syndromes. Additionally, studies that investigate the effects of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic perturbations on neuroinflammation are also included in the portfolio.

I am the program director for MMPC-Live (Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center-Live)- a consortium project with 4 national phenotyping centers and 1 coordinating center that provides subsidized experimental services on living mice to scientists studying diabetes, obesity, diabetes related complications.

I am the program director for HIRN-HPAP (Human Pancreas Analysis Program (HPAP)- a consortium project within The Human Islet Research Network (HIRN) that is involved in deep phenotyping of the human endocrine pancreas and its interaction with the immune system to better understand the cellular and molecular events that precede and lead to the type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Research Programs

Neurobiology of Obesity
Neurobiology of energy homeostasis and peripheral metabolism. Basic studies on homeostatic and hedonic contributions to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Neurobiology of food appraisal, motivation, memory and foraging.

Pathophysiology of Diabetes & Metabolic Disease
Whole body intermediary carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism, energy balance, thermogenesis and mitochondria biology in obesity and diabetes

Committees & Working Groups

NIDDK Obesity Research Working Group, Member
NIH Chronic Inflammation Working Group, Member
NIDDK Pancreas Working Group, Member

Select Experience

Assistant Professor, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, 2016 - 2022

Research Associate & CCFA Fellow, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, 2015 - 2016

Postdoctoral fellow, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, 2009 - 2014

Last Reviewed March 2024