David Bernlohr

David Bernlohr is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where he holds the Distinguished McKnight Professorship and previously served as the Cargill Chair in Systems Biology of Human Metabolism. A faculty member since 1981, he led the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics as Head, contributing to its prominence in biological sciences research. Affiliated with both the College of Biological Sciences and the Medical School, Bernlohr's work in Biology examines the metabolic links between obesity, aging, and disease. His laboratory investigates cytoplasmic fatty acid binding proteins and their functions in fatty acid metabolism in adipocytes and macrophages, with emphasis on leukotriene synthesis, inflammation, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence. These studies address insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and related conditions like pancreatic cancer progression.

Bernlohr has produced over 250 peer-reviewed publications, garnering more than 15,000 citations. Notable recent papers include "GDF3 promotes adipose tissue macrophage-mediated inflammation via altered chromatin accessibility during aging" (Nature Aging, 2026), "Advancing biological understanding of cellular senescence with computational multiomics" (Nature Genetics, 2025), "Inhibition of fatty acid binding protein suppresses pancreatic cancer progression and metastasis" (Scientific Reports, 2025), and "Artifacts in spatial transcriptomics data: their detection, importance, prevalence, and prevention" (Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2025). As principal investigator, he has directed major NIH-funded projects, including "Inflammation, Lipid Metabolism and Senescence" (National Institute on Aging, 2020–2026) and a $20 million study on human cell aging through the Midwest Murine-Tissue Mapping Center. His honors include the Distinguished McKnight University Professorship (2000), election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for advancements in biochemistry, diabetes, and obesity research, and the Minnesota ARCS Foundation Scientist of the Year (2024). Bernlohr has mentored in the MD/PhD Training Program and PhD Program in Integrative Biology and Physiology. As he transitions to emeritus status after four decades, his influence on lipid metabolism and adipose biology persists.

Professional Email: bernl001@umn.edu