Dawn K. Coletta, PhD

Associate Professor, Physiology
Associate Professor Medicine, Associate Professor Physiological Sciences - GIDP
Research Interests

My research interests fall into two categories (1) deciphering the molecular mechanisms of obesity, type 2 diabetes and aging (2) utilizing clinical trial studies to improve obesity, type 2 diabetes and aging outcomes. My laboratory combines state-of-the-art techniques (global epigenetic mapping, pyrosequencing analysis, oligonucleotide-based DNA chip microarray analysis, RNA sequencing, DNA sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) association studies, linkage disequilibrium mapping, and mass spectrometry proteome analyses) with in vivo methods (OGTTs, euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, muscle biopsies, exercise training intervention, bariatric surgery trial, lipid infusion, drug intervention studies) to determine the underlying mechanisms that contribute to these complex diseases.

Degree(s)

  • 1999 BS Applied and Human Biology - University of Aston, Birmingham, England
  • 2003 PhD University of Aston, Birmingham, England
  • 2006 Post-doctoral - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas
Publication Highlights

Luis A Garcia, Rocio Zapata-Bustos, Samantha E Day, Baltazar Campos, Yassin Hamzaoui, Linda Wu, Alma D Leon, Judith Krentzel, Richard L Coletta, Eleanna De Filippis, Lori R Roust, Lawrence J Mandarino, Dawn K Coletta. Can Exercise Training Alter Human Skeletal Muscle DNA Methylation? Metabolites. 2022 Mar 2;12(3):222. doi: 10.3390/metabo12030222.

Dawn K Coletta, Leslea J Hlusko, G Richard Scott, Luis A Garcia, Celine M Vachon, Aaron D Norman, Janet L Funk, Gabriel Q Shaibi, Valentina Hernandez, Eleanna De Filippis, Lawrence J Mandarino. Association of EDARV370A with breast density and metabolic syndrome in Latinos. PLoS One. 2021 Oct 7;16(10):e0258212. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258212. eCollection 2021.

Emma K Rautenberg, Yassin Hamzaoui, Dawn K Coletta.Mini-review: Mitochondrial DNA methylation in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Aug 25:13:968268. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.968268. eCollection 2022.