Researcher Spotlight: Peijian He, PhD | Assistant Professor – Digestive Diseases

What is your professional background? 
I received my PhD in reproductive physiology and studied sodium ion transport for my postdoctoral training. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor studying the molecular basis in the crosstalk between iron metabolism and metabolic diseases.

Which division do you work in, and who is your mentor? 
I work in the Division of Digestive Disease, and Shanthi Srinivasan, MD, is my mentor.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important? 
My research focuses on understanding the physiological and pathological roles of iron. Iron is vital for life and plays an essential role in cellular metabolism. Both iron deficiency and iron overload are detrimental to the homeostasis of organisms. We study how the systemic and cellular iron metabolism are regulated in pathological conditions, and in turn how the altered iron homeostasis promotes the development and progression of liver diseases and diabetes. My research is important because perturbed iron homeostasis causes mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and oxidative stress, and is detrimental to cell viability.

What do you like most about Emory? 
The supportive and collaborative research environment is what I like most.

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
I like all types of action movies.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my free time, I like to play basketball and ping-pong if I still have the energy to spend. If I am already tired, I sit to re-energize by enjoying coffee and music.

What is a fun fact about you?
I am a big fan of classical music, but I can’t play any instruments.