We investigate neuroimmune molecular mechanisms underlying obesity.
The Domingos laboratory researches neuroimmune mechanisms underlying obesity. They discovered neuro-adipose junctions, between white adipocytes and sympathetic neurons, that are necessary and sufficient for fat mass reduction via norepinephrine (NE) signalling. Moreover, they discovered Sympathetic neuron-Associated Macrophages (SAMs) that import and metabolize NE. Abrogation of SAM function promotes long-term amelioration of obesity independently of food intake. These findings inspired the development of a new class of anti-obesity compounds named sympathofacilitators, which do not enter the brain, nor have the typical cardiovascular side effects of centrally acting sympathomimetic drugs. Sympathofacilitator drugs act as an energy sink by coupling thermogenesis to active heat dissipation. Ana Domingos is a member of the advisory board of Cell Metabolism and her lab has been funded by HHMI, Wellcome Trust, ERC, HFSP, EMBO, among others.
© Guttenplan, Kevin A. et al. (2018) Play It Again, SAM: Macrophages Control Peripheral Fat Metabolism, Trends in Immunology, and Conor A. Bradley (2017). Specialized macrophages contribute to obesity. Nature Reviews Endocrinology.
© Lady Margaret Hall / Dominik Osvald / www.dominikosvald.com
Our team
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Ana Domingos
Professor of Neuroscience
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Gitalee Sarker
Novo Nordisk Research Fellow
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Davi Oliveira
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
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Lu Yao
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
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Charles Sweeney
Laboratory Technical Administrator
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Oliver Neely
Visiting Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Emma Haberman
IITM Wellcome Trust DPhil Student
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Conan O'Brien
BHF Cardiovascular Science DPhil Candidate
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Samson Wing Ming Cheung
DPhil Student
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Yitao Zhu
DPhil Student
Funders
The Domingos Lab is proud to be sponsored by the following funding bodies:
Interviews
In the media
Media coverage of Nature Medicine 2017, Nature Communications 2017, and Cell 2015:
DPAG News
Old and “hangry” monocytes turn from friend to foe under assault
13 April 2023
Professor Ana Domingos and DPhil student Conan O’Brien review a new study demonstrating that fasting and re-feeding causes monocytes to re-enter the bone marrow and alter the body's response to infection.
Updating the circuit maps of the sympathetic neural network
3 November 2022
A new review from Professor Ana Domingos’ lab and colleagues offers a fresh modern viewpoint on sympathetic neurons and their relation to immune cells and obesity.
New Pfizer grant paves the way to a better understanding of how body fat is controlled
1 November 2022
Professor Ana Domingos has been awarded a highly competitive independent research grant from Pfizer to discover ‘the role of Sympathetic-associated Perineurial barrier Cells in obesity’.
DPAG has two new Professors
22 August 2022
Congratulations are in order to Ana Domingos and Nicola Smart who have been awarded the title of Professor in the recent Recognition of Distinction round.
Ana Domingos Awarded Carl Ludwig Distinguished Lectureship Award
5 April 2022
Congratulations are in order for Associate Professor Ana Domingos, who has been awarded the 2023 Carl Ludwig Distinguished Lectureship from the American Physiological Society.
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