Benjamin J Renquist, PhD

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Associate Professor, Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences
Biography
Renquist Lab Research aims to address the causes and consequent diseases of obesity. Although as scientists we are trained to limit the expectations of our findings, we unabashedly maintain that our research goal is to eliminate obesity or the pathophysiologies of obesity. This goal maintains our research focus on addressing a societal issue that affects nearly two-thirds of Americans. To this end we have research focused on 1) type 2 diabetes and obesity associated hypertension, 2) development of effective chemotherapeutics for cancer, and 3) central nervous system control of visceral blood flow and food intake.
Cancer Focus
Renquist lab research is aimed at obesity associated cancers. We specifically aim to 1) develop effective ligand targeted chemotherapeutics and 2) identify variables that encourage progression of cancer in obesity.
Selected Publications
Geisler, C. E., S. Ghimire, R. L. Bogan, and B. J. Renquist, "Role of ketone signaling in the hepatic response to fasting.", Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, vol. 316, issue 5, pp. G623-G631, 2019 05 01. PMCID: PMC6580236 PMID: 30767679
Geisler, C. E., K. P. Kentch, and B. J. Renquist, "Non-Mammalian Vertebrates: Distinct Models to Assess the Role of Ion Gradients in Energy Expenditure.", Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), vol. 8, pp. 224, 2017. PMCID: PMC5585156 PMID: 28919880
Geisler, C. E., and B. J. Renquist, "Hepatic lipid accumulation: cause and consequence of dysregulated glucoregulatory hormones.", J Endocrinol, vol. 234, issue 1, pp. R1-R21, 2017 Jul. PMID: 28428362
Geisler, C. E., C. Hepler, M. R. Higgins, and B. J. Renquist, "Hepatic adaptations to maintain metabolic homeostasis in response to fasting and refeeding in mice.", Nutr Metab (Lond), vol. 13, pp. 62, 2016. PMCID: PMC5037643 PMID: 27708682
Renquist, B. J., J. G. Murphy, E. A. Larson, D. Olsen, R. F. Klein, K. L. J. Ellacott, and R. D. Cone, "Melanocortin-3 receptor regulates the normal fasting response.", Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, vol. 109, issue 23, pp. E1489-98, 2012 Jun 05. PMCID: PMC3384161 PMID: 22573815