Bio for Dr. Coleen Damcott

Name:  Coleen M. Damcott, Ph.D.

Academic Rank:  Assistant Professor

K12 Appointment Dates:  July 1, 2006 - ?
 
Research Project:  Mechanisms Linking Perilipin Polymorphisms to
Triglyceride Metabolism

Multidisciplinary Emphases: Nutrigenomics - Molecular Genetics/Genomics,
Clinical Investigation, Human Nutrition and Fat Cell Biology

Place of Birth:  Sherman, NY

Primary Appointment: Department of Medicine

Center/Department/Division: Div. of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition

Summary of Current Work

Dr. Damcott received her Ph.D. from the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health in 2002.  She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition at University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2005 and was promoted to Assistant Professor in the Division in 2006. 

Dr. Damcott’s primary research interests involve the molecular basis and genetics of complex diseases in humans.  In particular, she is interested in the field of nutrigenomics or the role of diet and nutrition in genetic susceptibility to disease.  For the MCRCDP program, Dr. Damcott proposed a translational genomics project that involves genetic variation in perilipin (PLIN), an adipocyte phosphoprotein that coats intracellular lipid droplets and regulates lipolysis.  The study is designed to advance our knowledge of the role of genetic variation in the PLIN gene in lipid metabolism and its interaction with diet by examining the mechanism linking PLIN polymorphisms to hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance.  Understanding the link between PLIN polymorphisms and circulating triglyceride levels will provide new insights into the pathophysiological basis of diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  The MCRCDP provides the educational opportunities and the multidisciplinary mentor-based research environment required to integrate knowledge and expertise in the fields of molecular genetics/genomics, clinical investigation, human nutrition and fat cell biology.

Recent Publications

• Damcott CM, Feingold E, Moffett SP, Barmada M, Marshall JA, Hamman RF, Ferrell RE (2003) Variation in FABP2 5’-flanking region alters transcriptional activity and is associated with body composition and plasma lipid levels. Hum Genet 112:610-616
• Damcott CM, Moffett SP, Feingold E, Barmada M, Marshall JA, Hamman RF, Ferrell RE (2003) Genetic variation in FABP4 and PPARγ interactively influence insulin sensitivity and body composition in males. Metabolism 53:303-309
• Damcott CM, Feingold E, Moffett SP, Barmada M, Marshall JA, Hamman RF, Ferrell RE (2003) Genetic variation in UCP3 is associated with dietary intake and body composition in females. Metabolism 53:458-464
• Fu M, Damcott C, Sabra M, Pollin TI, Ott S, Wang J, Garant M, O’Connell J, Mitchell BD, Shuldiner AR (2004) Polymorphism in the Calsequestrin 1 gene on chromosome 1q21 is associated with type 2 diabetes in the Old Order Amish. Diabetes 53:3292-3299
• Damcott CM, Hoppman NL, Ott SH, Reinhart LJ, Wang J, Pollin TI, O’Connell JR, Mitchell BD, Shuldiner AR (2004) Polymorphisms in both promoters of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4-alpha are associated with type 2 diabetes in the Amish. Diabetes 53:3337-3341
• Pollin TI, Tanner K, O’Connell JR, Ott SH, Damcott CM, Shuldiner AR, McLenithan JC, Mitchell BD (2005) Linkage of plasma adiponectin levels to 3q27 explained by association with variation in the APM1 gene. Diabetes 54:268-274
• Sabra MM, Fu  M, Damcott C, Ott S, O'Connell J, Mitchell B, Shuldiner A (2005) Vesicle-associated membrane protein 4 (VAMP4), a positional candidate gene on 1q24-q25, is not associated with type 2 diabetes in the Old Order Amish. Mol Genet Metab 85:133-139
• Damcott CM, Ott SH, Reinhart LJ, Wang J, Pollin TI, O’Connell JR, Mitchell BD, Shuldiner AR (2004) Genetic variation in adiponectin receptor 1 and adiponectin receptor 2 is associated with type 2 diabetes in the Old Order Amish. Diabetes 54:2245-50
• Moffett SP, Feingold E, Barmada MM, Damcott CM, Marshall J, Hamman R, Ferrell RE (2005) The C161T polymorphism in PPARγ, but not P12A, is associated with insulin resistance in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white females: Evidence for another functional variant in PPARγ.  Metabolism 54:1552-1556
• Zeggini E, Damcott CM, Hanson RL, Karim MA, Rayner NW, Groves CJ, Baier LJ, Hale TC, Hattersley AT, Hitman GA, Hunt SE, Knowler WC, Mitchell BD, Ng MCY, O’Connell JR, Pollin TI, Vaxillaire M, Walker M, Wang X, Whittaker P, Xiang K, Jia W, Chan JCN, Froguel P, Deloukas P, Shuldiner AR, Elbein SC, McCarthy MI for the International 1q Type 2 Diabetes Consortium (2006) Variation within the gene encoding the Upstream Stimulatory Factor 1 (USF1) does not influence susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in samples from populations with replicated evidence of linkage to chromosome 1q. Diabetes 55:2541-2548
• Damcott CM, Pollin TI, Reinhart LJ, Ott SH, Shen H, Silver KD, Mitchell BD, Shuldiner AR (2006) Polymorphisms in the Transcription Factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) Gene are Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in the Amish: Replication and evidence for a role in both insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Diabetes 55:2654-2659

Education

• 1995 A.A.S., Cellular Biotechnology, State University of New York College of Technology at Alfred, Alfred, New York
• 1997 B.S., Biology with a Concentration in Genetics and Development, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, New York
• 2002 Ph.D., Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Other Interests

Outdoor adventure, sports, family and friends

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