B.S. Duke University, Zoology

M.D. Washington University in St. Louis, Medicine

Ph.D. Washington University in St. Louis, Neuroscience

Obesity and cardiovascular disease are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Our research focuses on the interplay between intermediary metabolism and these disease processes. Derangements in the processing of carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids are central drivers of disease pathogenesis, but the roles of another metabolic fuel class, ketone bodies, are of increasing interest. We use novel genetic mouse models with engineered deficiencies in ketone body metabolism to study the metabolic shifts that occur in response to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and dynamic environmental challenges. From these models, we have developed new perspectives of how metabolism adapts in obesity, diabetes, and its cardiometabolic complications, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD/MASH) and cardiomyopathy. We are committed to understand how these adaptations ultimately prove deleterious, and how innovative and personalized nutritional, lifestyle, and pharmacological therapies may mitigate these adverse responses.

We leverage recent advances in stable isotope tracer based NMR and mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics technologies to study metabolism on a systems level, and we also employ established techniques in molecular cell biology and biochemistry to reveal phenotypic shifts at the cellular level. Complex in vivo phenotyping methodologies are strategically aligned with these sophisticated chemical profiling platforms to generate high-resolution phenotypic pictures. In addition to our mouse studies, we perform studies in humans to learn how alterations of ketone metabolism and related pathways may serve as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cardiometabolic disease.

When asked what he does in his free time, he stared into the void and whispered, “There was a time… before deadlines.”

M.Sc. University of Warsaw (Poland), Analytical Chemistry

Ph.D. University of Alcalá (Spain), Analytical Chemistry

In 2014, Dr. Puchalska earned her PhD degree in Analytical Chemistry (Cum Laude) the Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Alcalá (Spain). During her postdoctoral training, she worked with Dr. Peter Crawford, a leader in ketone body metabolism, applying lipidomics and metabolomics approaches to prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression. In 2017, she joined the Division of Molecular Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where she leads cutting-edge research that utilizes mass spectrometry approaches to reveal essential information regarding metabolism. 

Dr. Puchalska’s expertise spans metabolomics, computational analytics, and systems physiology. She focuses on cellular metabolism and inter-organ nutrient exchange in mouse models and human participants. She explores dynamic shifts in ketone body, glucose, and fat metabolism in the central nervous system in response to obesity and diabetes, and during embryonic and neonatal stages, using novel mass spectrometry-based approaches and mouse models. She develops and deploys approaches to formally quantify metabolite pools via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; perform stable isotope tracing into the metabolome; quantitatively speciate more than a dozen lipid classes via shotgun lipidomics; and perform metabolic flux analysis. She and her team are adept at vascular cannulations to study metabolism and primary culture of numerous cell types, including macrophages, hepatocytes, and neurons from genetically modified mouse models. These approaches allow her and her team to identify novel mediators of inter-organ cross-talk that position the developing and adult brain poised for healthy outcomes.

Patrycja enjoys painting, gardening, taking long walks with her dog Harley, and weightlifting in her free time.

B.S. Evangel University, Biological Chemistry

M.S. Missouri State University, Cell and Molecular Biology

Ph.D. University of Louisville, Physiology

Kyle Fulghum is a postdoctoral fellow in the Crawford-Puchalska group within the Division of Molecular Medicine. As a metabolic physiologist, he integrates principles of physiology, metabolism, and nutrition to explore how energy is regulated across organ systems in response to lifestyle interventions. His research investigates the metabolic interplay between liver, heart, and brain in the context of cardiometabolic dysfunction, with the goal of identifying strategies to promote resilience and healthy aging. Kyle combines advanced techniques such as isotope tracing, mass spectrometry, transgenic mouse models, and functional assessments to link changes in energy regulation and metabolic adaptation to meaningful health outcomes. His current work focuses on how ketogenic interventions and aerobic exercise influence ketone body turnover and energy dynamics in the heart and brain.

Outside the lab, Kyle enjoys traveling, weightlifting, and attending concerts.

B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia, Biochemistry

B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

Minor: Chemistry

Emphasis Area: Human Physiology and Translational Sciences

Eric grew up on a small farm in mid-Missouri and is a first-generation scientist. He received his undergraduate training at the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou) where he obtained a dual Bachelors degree in Biochemistry and Nutrition & Exercise Physiology, while researching sex differences and the role of sex hormones in regulating adipose tissue mitochondrial metabolism. Eric continued his education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (UMN) where he is currently pursing a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics (BMBB). Within the Division of Molecular Medicine, Eric’s interest in metabolism has grown while his research interests have shifted to studying hepatic mitochondrial metabolism, focusing on the role of ketogenesis and ketone bodies in fine-tuning fat oxidation and lipid synthesis within the context of chronic metabolic diseases (e.g., metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, MASLD).

In addition to Biochemistry and Physiology, Eric is trained in Analytical and Physical Chemistry, encompassing proficiencies in liquid and gas phase chromatography (LC & GC), mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Using these tools, Eric performs metabolomic- and lipidomic-based assays, and has an expertise in 13C/2H stable isotope tracing and formal metabolic flux modeling. Through his dissertation research, Eric worked with a team of scientists that discovered ketogenesis accelerates during the progression of MASLD in humans, which compensates for liver metabolic dysfunction. Using 13C stable isotope tracing and mass-balance flux measurements, Eric and the PPC team then went on to challenge traditional text-book dogmas by demonstrating that hepatocytes metabolize ketone bodies, which was found to be essential for hepatic polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) homeostasis, ushering in a new era in ketone body metabolism. Eric’s current research efforts are focused on deepening our understanding of this newly discovered link between ketones and PUFAs in human diseases.

Eric’s long-term goal is to establish an independent research program at an academic research institution focused on bridging Metabolic Biochemistry, Systems Physiology, and Analytical Chemistry to unravel the molecular origins of human metabolic diseases. During Eric’s “free-time” he enjoys playing with mass spectrometers, NMR spectrometers, and thinking about new ways to probe metabolic pathways using stable isotopes. Eric wakes up thinking about metabolism, falls asleep thinking about metabolism, and claims his dreams are filled with nothing but…. METABOLISM!

B.A. in Fetch Sciences with a minor in Snack Acquisition, Barkley School of Good Girls

Harley joined the Crawford-Puchalska Lab in September 2019 and quickly established herself as the unofficial emotional support specialist. She is originally from Wisconsin and brings Midwestern charm, a strong work ethic, and an unshakable commitment to boosting lab morale. With a wagging tail and impeccable timing, she’s always ready to offer a comforting presence during tough experiments, grant deadlines, or failed western blots.

Her core research interests include belly rubs, zoomies, the structural integrity of new chew toys (which she investigates thoroughly), and the optimal routes for long campus walks. Whether napping under a desk or leading an impromptu play break, Harley keeps lab morale high and hearts full. 

In her free time, Harley is also building her social media presence, where she hopes to share her daily lab life, snack reviews, and expert tips on achieving peak relaxation. Stay tuned—she’s just a few followers away from influencer status.