The Airola Lab

Lipids not only form the basis of our cell membranes but also serve as bioactive signaling molecules that regulate critical cellular and pathological processes. The enzymes that generate and breakdown these bioactive lipids have emerged as therapeutic targets for treating the leading causes of diseases in the United States including cancer,  cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

We are motivated to understand how these lipid-metabolizing enzymes work at the molecular and structural level. This will improve our understanding of biological mechanisms and provide information on lipid-protein interactions of physiological and pharmacological significance.

Despite their importance to biomedical health, our understanding of these enzymes function and regulation has been hampered by their unique hydrophobic nature. We use our expertise in structural biology, lipid biochemistry, and modern biophysical techniques to overcome these challenges.