Welcome to the Bridges Lab

Bridges Lab Photo

We are interested in the factors which cause obesity, the mechanisms by which this happens and how interventions in this pathway can alleviate obesity or its associated diseases. Our group uses a variety of model systems including cell culture, yeast, flies and mice to understand the signaling and metabolic pathways which are involved in these processes. We then use modern molecular biology, genetic and pharmacological tools to manipulate and learn more about the physiology of obesity.

Find Out More About Us

Recent Publications

  1. Amy Zhao, Haijing Sun, Leiyi Yan, Oyewali Shiyanbola, Dave Bridges and Brigid Gregg. Lactational Western-Style Fat Exposure in Mice Programs Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in Male Offspring 2026. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 70(8):e70468 Details Publisher Link
  2. Erwei Li, Yangmian Yuan, Haijing Sun, Khushi Patel, Nan Zhang, Soumya Nagesh, Juan Aristizabal-Henao, Michael Kiebish, Christopher Jacobs, Dave Bridges, Brigid Gregg and Evan Rosen. Oxytocin signaling in adipocytes is required for normal milk fat production Cell Metabolism 16:S1550-4131(26)0 Details Publisher Link
  3. Stephanie Eid, Pongrat Jaisil, Kai Guo, John Haynes, Crystal Pacut, Diana Rigan, Andrew Carter, Samuel Teener, Bhumsoo Kim, Chloe Kiriluk, William Lentz, Cameron Miller, Ian Webber-Davis, Haley McQuown, Dai-Gyu Wang, Adam Patterson, Emily Koubek, Dave Bridges, Junguk Hur, Jacob Meyer and Eva Feldman. Ketogenic Diet and Exercise Improve Peripheral Neuropathy in a Mouse Model of Metabolic Syndrome 2016. Diabetes Details Publisher Link
  4. Treyton Carr, Irit Hochberg and Dave Bridges. Differential Metabolic Signatures of Cushing's Disease Patients Dependent on their Obesity Status 2026. medRxiv Details Publisher Link Preprint
  5. Molly Mulcahy, Noura El Habbal, JeAnna Redd, Haijing Sun, Brigid Gregg and Dave Bridges. GDF15 knockout does not substantially impact perinatal body weight or neonatal outcomes in mice 2024. Endocrinology Our Thoughts Details Publisher Link

Click here for a list of papers.

Blog Posts

Click here for a list of posts.

News

Also a big congratulations to Thalia Bu on her MS thesis defense (from a a couple of weeks ago) on stress hormone dynamics in mice.
April 21, 2026
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Congratulations to Haley on the outstanding defense of her M.S. thesis on how GDM affects breastmilk. Great work!
April 21, 2026
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Excited to see this paper on how oxytocin and lipolysis regulate milk fat composition in press.
April 18, 2026
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Great post on Takreed Ali and her work on connecting public health nutrition to her local community.
March 22, 2026
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Congratulations to @cece.oc for her prize winning poster presentation on chronic stress and breastfeeding at last week’s Caswell Diabetes Institute annual meeting!
November 6, 2025
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Journal Club

2026 Journal Club Articles

  • Brennan AM, Standley RA, Anthony SJ, Grench KE, Helbling NL, DeLany JP, Cornnell HH, Yi F, Stefanovic-Racic M, Toledo FGS, Coen PM, Carnero EA, Goodpaster BH. Weight Loss and Exercise Differentially Affect Insulin Sensitivity, Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength in Older Adults With Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022 May 5;77(5):1088-1097. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glab240. PMID: 34406407; PMCID: PMC9071425. Publisher Link

    Feb. 23, 2026

  • Pratap AA, Holsinger RMD. Altered Brain Leptin and Leptin Receptor Expression in the 5XFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2020 Nov 18;13(11):401. doi: 10.3390/ph13110401. PMID: 33218163; PMCID: PMC7698839. Publisher Link

    Feb. 16, 2026

  • Durakoglugil MS, Chen Y, White CL, Kavalali ET, Herz J. Reelin signaling antagonizes beta-amyloid at the synapse. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Sep 15;106(37):15938-43. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0908176106. Epub 2009 Sep 2. PMID: 19805234; PMCID: PMC2747222. Publisher Link

    Jan. 26, 2026

    • 2025 Journal Club Articles

  • O'Sullivan EJ, Perrine CG, Rasmussen KM. Early Breastfeeding Problems Mediate the Negative Association between Maternal Obesity and Exclusive Breastfeeding at 1 and 2 Months Postpartum. J Nutr. 2015 Oct;145(10):2369-78. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.214619. Epub 2015 Aug 19. PMID: 26290005; PMCID: PMC4592473. Publisher Link

    Nov. 20, 2025

  • Horvath D, Mink D, Saxena K, Inholz K, Wirtz PH, Basler M. Stress transmission in social groups of mice: unveiling physiological responses, behavioral patterns, and immune dynamics. iScience. 2025 May 27;28(6):112769. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112769. PMID: 40546941; PMCID: PMC12178794. Publisher Link

    Nov. 6, 2025

    • Click here for a list of journal club articles.