Güneş Parlakgül

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Research Description

Metabolism underpins life by driving critical functions such as bioenergetic reactions, the synthesis of essential macromolecules, detoxification, and the maintenance of homeostasis. These processes are fundamental to cellular and organismal viability. However, the biochemical reactions and enzymes are not homogeneously distributed in a cell, but rather compartmentalized in organelles and their specialized sub-domains. The shape, distribution, interaction, and overall organization of organelles in specialized tissues vary at different spatial and temporal scales, enabling them to meet functional demands and adapt to various challenges. We investigate how this specialized, dynamic subcellular organization regulates cellular function and metabolism at tissue and organism level. We use an interdisciplinary approach ranging from high resolution imaging, computer vision to biochemistry and physiology.

For more information, please visit: https://www.parlakgullab.org

Education

Dr. Parlakgul obtained his M.D. degree at Istanbul University, Istanbul School of Medicine. After completing clinical rotations at Harvard Medical School, he joined Dr. Hotamisligil’s lab at Harvard T.H. Chan School for his postdoctoral studies, supported by the Sabri Ulker fellowship.

Publications

Parlakgül G, Pang S, Artico LL, Min N, Cagampan E, Villa R, Goncalves RLS, Lee GY, Xu CS, Hotamışlıgil GS, Arruda AP. Spatial mapping of hepatic ER and mitochondria architecture reveals zonated remodeling in fasting and obesity.
Nature Communications. 2024 May 10;15(1):3982. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48272-7. PubMed PMID: 38729945; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11087507.

Arruda AP, Parlakgül G. Endoplasmic Reticulum Architecture and Inter-Organelle Communication in Metabolic Health and Disease.
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2023 Feb 1;15(2). doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041261. Review. PubMed PMID: 35940911; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9899651.

Shrestha N, Torres M, Zhang J, Lu Y, Haataja L, Reinert RB, Knupp J, Chen YJ, Parlakgul G, Arruda AP, Tsai B, Arvan P, Qi L. Integration of ER protein quality control mechanisms defines β cell function and ER architecture.
J Clin Invest. 2023 Jan 3;133(1). doi: 10.1172/JCI163584. PubMed PMID: 36346671; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9797341.

Parlakgül G, Arruda AP, Pang S, Cagampan E, Min N, Güney E, Lee GY, Inouye K, Hess HF, Xu CS, Hotamışlıgil GS. Regulation of liver subcellular architecture controls metabolic homeostasis.
Nature. 2022 Mar;603(7902):736-742. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04488-5. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PubMed PMID: 35264794; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9014868.

Guney E, Arruda AP, Parlakgul G, Cagampan E, Min N, Lee GY, Greene L, Tsaousidou E, Inouye K, Han MS, Davis RJ, Hotamisligil GS. Aberrant Ca(2+) signaling by IP(3)Rs in adipocytes links inflammation to metabolic dysregulation in obesity.
Science Signaling. 2021 Dec 14;14(713):eabf2059. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.abf2059. Epub 2021 Dec 14. PubMed PMID: 34905386; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10130146.

Bartelt A, Widenmaier SB, Schlein C, Johann K, Goncalves RLS, Eguchi K, Fischer AW, Parlakgül G, Snyder NA, Nguyen TB, Bruns OT, Franke D, Bawendi MG, Lynes MD, Leiria LO, Tseng YH, Inouye KE, Arruda AP, Hotamisligil GS. Brown adipose tissue thermogenic adaptation requires Nrf1-mediated proteasomal activity.
Nature Medicine. 2018 Mar;24(3):292-303. doi: 10.1038/nm.4481. Epub 2018 Feb 5. PubMed PMID: 29400713; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5839993.

Arruda AP, Pers BM, Parlakgul G, Güney E, Goh T, Cagampan E, Lee GY, Goncalves RL, Hotamisligil GS. Defective STIM-mediated store operated Ca(2+) entry in hepatocytes leads to metabolic dysfunction in obesity.
Elife. 2017 Dec 15;6. doi: 10.7554/eLife.29968. PubMed PMID: 29243589; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5777820.

Parlakgul G, Hotamisligil GS. Type I Interferons Interfere with Liver Glucose Metabolism.
Cell Metabolism. 2017 Jun 6;25(6):1211-1212. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.05.009. PubMed PMID: 28591628.

Arruda AP, Pers BM, Parlakgül G, Güney E, Inouye K, Hotamisligil GS. Chronic enrichment of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity.
Nature Medicine. 2014 Dec;20(12):1427-35. doi: 10.1038/nm.3735. Epub 2014 Nov 24. PubMed PMID: 25419710; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4412031.

Gurkan UA, Fan Y, Xu F, Erkmen B, Urkac ES, Parlakgul G, Bernstein J, Xing W, Boyden ES, Demirci U. Simple precision creation of digitally specified, spatially heterogeneous, engineered tissue architectures.
Advanced Materials. 2013 Feb 25;25(8):1192-8. doi: 10.1002/adma.201203261. Epub 2012 Nov 27. PubMed PMID: 23192949; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3842103.

Parlakgul G, Guney E, Erer B, Kılıcaslan Z, Direskeneli H, Gul A, Saruhan-Direskeneli G. Expression of regulatory receptors on γδ T cells and their cytokine production in Behcet's disease.
Arthritis Res Ther. 2013 Jan 21;15(1):R15. doi: 10.1186/ar4147. PubMed PMID: 23336215; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3672743.

See a complete list of publications in Google Scholar

Honors and Awards

2024, Career Awards for Medical Scientists - Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Recent Teaching

NST 190