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Justin Grobe, PhD

Contact Information

Office: 2-307 BSB 
Phone: 319-353-5789 
Faculty Profile


Brief description of current research:

My laboratory is focused on understanding metabolic and cardiovascular control systems, with a particular focus on the brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS).  The brain RAS is well documented for its role in the development and maintenance of hypertension, and we have demonstrated a potent role for the brain RAS in the control of resting metabolic rate.  Our goal is to leverage our understanding of these endogenous physiological control mechanisms to develop novel therapeutic approaches to obesity and diabetes that involve the induction of resting metabolic rate.

3 most influential diabetes/obesity/metabolism publications:

  • Claflin KE, Sandgren JA, Lambertz AM, Weidemann BJ, Littlejohn NK, Burnett CM, Pearson NA, Morgan DA, Gibson-Corley KN, Rahmouni K, Grobe JL.  Angiotensin AT1A receptors on leptin receptor-expressing cells control resting metabolism. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2017; 127:1414-1424.
  • Littlejohn NK, Keen HL, Weidemann BJ, Claflin KE, Tobin KV, Markan KR, Park S, Naber MC, Gourronc FA, Pearson NA, Liu X, Morgan DA, Klingelhutz AJ, Potthoff MJ, Rahmouni K, Sigmund CD, Grobe JL. Suppression of Resting Metabolism by the Angiotensin AT2 Receptor. Cell Reports 2015; 16:1548-1560.
  • Grobe JL, Grobe CL, Beltz TG, Westphal SG, Morgan DA, Xu D, de Lange WJ, Li H, Sakai K, Thedens DR, Cassis LA, Rahmouni K, Mark AL, Johnson AK, Sigmund CD. The brain renin-angiotensin system controls divergent efferent mechanisms to regulate fluid and energy balance. Cell Metabolism 2010; 12:431-442.