Philip Gordts
Associate Professor and Microbiology & Immunology
Inflammation, Insulin resistance, Metabolic disease, Atherosclerosis, Human milk oligosaccharides, Heparan sulfate, Glycosaminoglycans, Adipose tissue, Iron metabolism, Extracellular matrix, Cell signaling
Molecular Biology Program
Biological Chemistry Program
Education
B.S. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Ph.D. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Research
Our lab investigates how glycans—specifically the complex sugar chains known as heparan sulfate and human milk oligosaccharides—regulate immune function and metabolic health. These extracellular matrix molecules are chemically intricate and biologically potent, influencing signaling pathways that govern inflammation, insulin sensitivity, iron metabolism, and vascular function. Our research sits at the intersection of biochemistry and molecular biology. We use a multidisciplinary approach that combines glycomics, metabolic phenotyping, genetic mouse models, and translational tools to tackle key questions in chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
Current projects in the lab include:
- Mapping how structural diversity in heparan sulfate controls adipose tissue inflammation and systemic metabolism
- Investigating the role of endothelial glycans in iron homeostasis and BMP/SMAD signaling
- Exploring the therapeutic use of human milk oligosaccharides to resolve low-grade inflammatory disease
If you're driven by curiosity and want to push boundaries at the intersection of molecular biology, biochemistry, and disease-focused research, this is a place where your ideas can take shape—and make an impact.
References
Selected Publications