Methods of Adipose Tissue Biology Part B

Ormond A. MacDougald, Ph.D. is the John A. Faulkner Collegiate Professor in Physiology, and a Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, and Internal Medicine in the University of Michigan Medical School. He currently is a Fulbright Scholar at Pembroke College and the Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge.

MacDougald is an internationally recognized investigator for his work on adipocyte differentiation and metabolism. Specifically, his research explores the signals that act on mesenchymal stem cells to influence fat tissue development and metabolism, including effects on insulin sensitivity. This research provides important insight into the problems of obesity and type 2 diabetes. MacDougald's bibliography reflects more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, reviews, and book chapters. MacDougald serves on numerous editorial boards and provides extensive peer-review service for journals and funding agencies. He's a highly sought-after speaker at national and international meetings.

In 2005, MacDougald received the UM Medical School's Achievement in Basic Science Research Award. The same year, he earned the Henry Pickering Bowditch Award, one of the American Physiological Society's highest honors, given to "a distinguished young physiologist less than 42 years of age who has made original and outstanding contributions in physiology.” More recently he was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In addition to his research accomplishments, MacDougald is highly regarded for his dedication and commitment to education. He has served in numerous educational roles as director, co-director and lecturer in departmental courses, and has been a member of more than 80 preliminary examination and graduate dissertation committees. He served as director of the Molecular & Integrative Physiology graduate program, and he initiated and directs a summer research program for undergraduate students. He received the Rackham Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award, and was elected to the League of Excellence in Education at the University of Michigan.

Ormond received his undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, in 1986. From Michigan State University he received his master's degree in 1988 and a doctorate from the Department of Physiology in 1992. He pursued postdoctoral training from 1992-96 in the Department of Biological Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University, where he began his studies on adipocyte biology with M. Daniel Lane, Ph.D.

MacDougald joined the U-M faculty in 1996 as an Assistant Professor of Physiology and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002 and to Professor in 2006.

This book is a must-have for anyone interested in obesity or the physiology of white or brown adipose tissues. It contains state-of-the-art methods from researchers that are world leaders in this field. Detailed lab protocols range from methods to visualize adipocytes and adipose tissues in humans and experimental models, to convert stem cells into white and brown adipocytes in vitro, to evaluate aspects of adipocyte metabolism, to inducibly knock out genes in adipose tissues, and to evaluate transcriptional control of adipogenesis on a global scale.