Mitochondrial Biology and Metabolism

Michael Sack, M.D., Ph.D.

Senior Investigator

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Senior Investigator Research Interests

Research Interests

The Role of Caloric-Dependent Regulation in the Control of Metabolic and Mitochondrial Homeostasis:

My laboratory focuses on understanding, at the basic and clinical level, how nutrient-sensing programs control immune cell function. At the basic science level my laboratory focusses on the role of the nutrient-sensing Sirtuin enzymes, and a counter-regulatory protein, BLOC1S1/GCN5L1, which modulate mitochondrial and endosome-lysosome functions. In the clinic, we use different caloric-load strategies and/or the NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide riboside, to explore immunometabolism and immunomodulation, in both healthy individuals and in inflammatory/autoimmune disease states. The longer-term goal is to exploit these pathways to blunt inflammation and auto-immunity in human disease.

Clinical Trials and Studies

Metabolic or genetic diseases that raise the risk for heart disease

Recruiting

All Ages

All Genders

Accepting Healthy Volunteers

Do you or a first-degree relative have a condition that raises the risk of heart disease? This study aims to test the heart and lung function of people who have a genetic or metabolic disease that raises their risk of heart disease. Participants in this study must be between 2 and 100 years old. This study is located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Technical Development of Cardiovascular MRI

Recruiting

Adult, Older Adult

All Genders

Accepting Healthy Volunteers

Are you able to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and want to help people with heart failure? This study is developing new methods for imaging the heart and blood vessels using MRI to improve how healthcare providers diagnose people with heart failure. This study takes place in Maryland and Washington, DC.

Pilot Study to Evaluate the Effect of NAD+ Boosting With Nicotinamide Riboside on Immunometabolism and Immunity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Recruiting

Adult, Older Adult

Female

Accepting Healthy Volunteers

Are you an adult woman with lupus? In this study, researches will try to determine if an investigational medication is effective in treating lupus in adult women. You must be at least 18 years old. The study will also enroll healthy volunteers who have no history of lupus or other autoimmune disease. The study will take place at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Causes and Natural History of Dyslipidemias

Recruiting

All Ages

All Genders

Not Accepting Healthy Volunteers

Do you or your child have dyslipidemia? This study is exploring how different diagnostic tests can help us understand how lipid disorders, including high blood cholesterol and high blood triglycerides, affect the body. Information from this study may help improve the way lipid disorders are diagnosed or treated in the future. Participants in this study must be at least 2 years old. The study is being conducted in Bethesda, Maryland.

Meet the Team

Michael Sack, M.D., Ph.D.

Senior Investigator

Michael Sack graduated with his M.B.B.Ch. and M.Sc. from the University of Witwatersrand and earned his Ph.D. in 2000 from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He did his internship at Johannesburg General Hospital and his internal medicine residency at Georgetown University Medical Center. He conducted cardiology research and did a clinical fellowship at Washington University Medical Center from 1994 to 1997. Dr. Sack joined the NHLBI in 2003. Dr. Sack has authored or coauthored more than 100 papers, editorials, reviews, and book chapters. He currently sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Mitochondrion, Journal of Gerontology, and Drug Discovery Today and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.