Fisher Lab: Department of Biology, Saint Louis University
Jonathan Fisher, Professor
joined SLU faculty in 2001
Skeletal muscle plays predominant roles in clearance of glucose from the blood and whole body energy metabolism. The lab investigates aspects of muscle metabolism including regulation of glucose transport into muscle, alteration of growth-related and metabolic signaling within muscle cells, and control of mitochondrial function. In particular, we are interested in regulation of glucose transport under basal conditions, under the influence of hormones such as insulin (which stimulates glucose transport into muscle), and under conditions of metabolic stress.
It has been known since the 1980s that prior exercise causes insulin to promote greater glucose uptake into muscle. Researchers around the world have made great progress in elucidating the mechanism for the effect of muscle contractions on insulin action, but questions still remain.
To uncover potential mechanisms for increased insulin sensitivity, we examine the interplay among:
insulin signaling
metabolic stress
reactive oxygen species and antioxidants
Our collaborators include comparative physiologist Dan Warren , biochemist Blythe Janowiak , computational biologist Dapeng Zhang, bee ecologist Gerardo Camilo, and biomedical engineer Koyal Garg .
Lauren & Laurine share their signaling pathway
@ the 2024 SLU Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium
Siv's ready for the judges
@ the 2024 SLU Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium
Congrats to the Spirits of the Billiken!
Lauren and Laurine are 2024 "The Spirit of the Billiken" Awardees. These outstanding seniors excel in academics, leadership, community service, and dedication to living SLU's mission after graduation.
SLU Honors 2024 Spirit of the Billiken Award Recipients : SLU
Nick brings home 3rd prize
from 48 posters @ the 2024 SLU Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium
Lauren rocks the gel imager!
Lauren Sugiyama joined up in fall, 2022. She's a Health Science major.
Zenae's on the case!
Zenae Cherry started as an MS student in January, 2022, and has moved up to the PhD program. She's a SLU neuroscience grad.
Nick can't wait for the experiment of the day!
Zenae recruited Nick Normandin from her section of introductory biology lab in spring, 2022.. Nick is a sophomore Nutrition & Dietetics student who joined the lab in fall, 2022. He'll graduate in May, 2025.
Yojana shows off her muscle cells
Yojana Jagadish, a senior biology major, joined up in fall, 2021. She'll graduate in May, 2023.
Zaryn keeps it clean
Zaryn Kamara is also a biology major. She joined in fall, 2021, and she'll graduate in May, 2023.
Zaryn scopes things out
Masks were mandatory back in fall, 2021, but they're optional now.
Yojana and Zaryn do quality control
In addition to hanging in Macelwane Hall, Yojana and Zaryn frequent the new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering building: Designed for Discovery : SLU
Laurine chills in the cold room
Laurine Shoki joined the lab in fall, 2022. She's a junior biology major. Laurine will be Fisher's TA for Cell Structure & Function in spring, 2023, and Nick will be in the course. What could be cooler?
update: Laurine recieved the 2024 Medhoff award for outstanding teaching by an undergraduate. She TAed fall biochem and spring cell biol two years running. Congrats, Laurine
The award is named for Judy Medhoff who anchored cell biology and other courses for years at SLU.
Biva and Zenae queue up for colloquium!
Biva Chapagain (Miller lab) and Zenae spoke in grad colloquium in Nov 2022.
Science supporter
Zenae's mom Edra Cherry (right) stopped by lab after taking in Zenae's colloquium talk.
Madison keeps things a bit basic (pH 7.4).
Madison joined the lab in summer 2023. She's a neuroscience major (that's half biology, half psychology). Madison will graduate in December, 2023.
Siv gets it right!
Siv Sivaparan joined us in summer, 2023. He's a biology major who will graduate in May, 2024.
Black in STEM celebration
Zenae received the Cynthia Chapelle Graduate Student Excellence Award at the 2023 Black in STEM celebration. The award is for a graduate student who understands they are capable and confident that STEM is a place for them. This student is working diligently to overcome barriers and obstacles that the leaky pipeline presents, as they advance further within their respective STEM discipline.
Cynthia Chapelle is the founder of Black Girls Do STEM
Congrats, Zenae!
Zenae smiles with her award at the Black in STEM celebration.
greetings from the National Mall
Jon's on a stroll on the way to DCA after the June 2023 Human Studies of Diabetes and Obesity (HSDO) study section meeting.