Melanie B. Weed
4340 MBRB
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Tel: (919) 843-6470
Fax: (919) 966-3292
Education
Doctorate of Philosophy
Curriculum in Toxicology
Research Advisor: David W. Threadgill
Academic Advisor: (IE your committee chair): David W. Threadgill
Date of Matriculation: 2005
Master of Science in Toxicology
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 2002
Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering
Western New England College, Springfield, MA, 1998
Publications and Recent Abstracts
Weed, MB, Barrick, CW, Lee, TC, and Threadgill, DW. “The epidermal growth factor receptor as a potential target for obesity treatment”, Abstract 2007 FASEB Summer Research Conference
Weed, MB, Barrick, CW, Lee, TC, and Threadgill, DW. “Diet-induced obesity requires epidermal growth factor receptor activity in the central nervous system”, Abstract 2008 Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting
Awards
2007 Endocrine Society Travel Award
2007-2009 North Carolina Society of Toxicology Student Representative
2006-2008 University of North Carolina Student Representative for the Curriculum in Toxicology
Dissertation
“The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor is Necessary for Adipocyte Deposition”
Advisor: David W. Threadgill
Description of current research: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), involved in normal adipocyte development, may be a potential target for obesity treatment. Using diet-induced obesity murine models, we found that genetic inhibition of EGFR using the Egfrwa2 hypomorphic allele slows adipose mass deposition. Oral dosing of a small molecule inhibitor against the EGFR tyrosine kinase (AG1478) to diet-induced or polygenic obese mice recapitulated these results indicating that pharmacologic inhibition of EGFR may be used for obesity prevention. To determine how EGFR contributes to this effect, we deleted Egfr specifically in the central nervous system (CNS) of mice using the Egfrtm1Dwt conditional allele and a GFAP-Cre transgenic line. This demonstrated that EGFR activity is required in the CNS for fat deposition. MRI and DEXA analyses were used to measure the effects on fat mass and dissection of fat depots was used for validation of these in vivo measurements.
Personal Interests
Running, socializing, sports (football, baseball, NASCAR, UNC)