Straub, Leon Gabriel
Primary Appointment
Research Assistant Professor, Pharmacology
Contact Information
Email: vku7em@virginia.edu
Research Disciplines
Biochemistry, Metabolism, Molecular Biology, Translational Science
Research Interests
Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Research Description
My research program in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Virginia focuses on understanding how adipose tissue dysfunction, metabolic signaling, and immune–stromal interactions drive human disease, and on developing targeted therapeutic strategies that directly address these mechanisms. My work combines mechanistic physiology, transcriptomics, and gene-therapy approaches to define disease pathways with a level of resolution that supports both biological insight and clinical translation.
A central focus of my work is the development of tissue-specific AAV-based interventions for metabolic disease. Building on prior work demonstrating that adipose tissue signaling profoundly shapes systemic glucose homeostasis, I am developing strategies that allow precise control of metabolic pathways in adipocytes and cardiomyocytes. These studies include gene-therapy approaches to counteract oxidized-lipid–driven cardiac dysfunction as well as adipocyte-targeted modulation of incretin pathways to improve glucose tolerance and energy balance. Together, these efforts aim to establish new mechanistic links between adipose tissue biology, metabolic resilience, and cardiometabolic health.
In parallel, I investigate the molecular basis of lipedema, a poorly understood adipose-tissue disorder that lacks both molecular diagnostic criteria and druggable targets. Through multi-center collaborations, I integrate harmonized RNA-sequencing datasets with advanced statistical modeling to identify reproducible gene-expression programs that distinguish lipedema from obesity and lymphedema. These analyses point toward distinct immunometabolic and extracellular-matrix remodeling processes and form the basis for the development of predictive transcriptomic tools for clinical use. My goal is to translate these mechanistic insights into objective diagnostic strategies and, ultimately, targeted therapeutic approaches.
Across these projects, my research leverages rigorous quantitative methods to define how local perturbations in adipose tissue shape systemic physiology. I am committed to building a research environment that promotes collaboration, supports trainees, and advances the department’s mission to develop mechanistically grounded therapies that improve human health.