Training Technologies Used:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Confocal Imaging
- Metabolomics
- Bioinformatics
- Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, M , 1990
- B.S. in Molecular Biophysics & Biochem from Yale University, New Haven, CT, 1984
- B.S. in History from Yale University, New Haven, CT, 1984
Gliozzi ML, Espiritu E, Shipman KE, Rbaibi Y, Long KR, Roy N, Duncan AW, Lazzara MJ, Hukriede NA, Baty CJ, and Weisz OA (2020) Effects of proximal tubule shortening on protein excretion in a Lowe Syndrome model. J Am Soc Nephrol. 31:67-83..
Long KR, Rbaibi Y, Gliozzi ML, and Weisz OA (2020) Differential kidney proximal tubule cell responses to protein overload by albumin and its ligands. Am J Physiol- Renal Physiol. 318:F851–F859. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00490.2019.
Ren Q, Weyer K, Rbaibi Y, Long KR, Tan RJ, Nielsen R, Christensen EI, Baty CJ, Kashlan OB, and Weisz OA (2020) Distinct functions of megalin and cubilin receptors in recovery of normal and nephrotic levels of filtered albumin. Am J Physiol- Renal Physiol. 318:F1284-1294. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00030.2020.
Park HJ, Fan Z, Bai Y, Ren Q, Rbaibi Y, Long KR, Gliozzi ML, Rittenhouse N, Locker JD, Poholek AC, and Weisz OA (2020) Transcriptional programs driving shear stress-induced differentiation of kidney proximal tubule cells in culture. Frontiers in Physiol. 11:587358. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2020.587358.
Long KR, Rbaibi Y, Bondi CD, Forbes BR, Poholek, AC, Boyd-Shiwarski C, Tan RJ, Locker JR, and Weisz OA (2022) Cubilin-, Megalin- and Dab2-dependent transcription revealed by CRISPR/Cas9 knockout in kidney proximal tubule cells. Am J Physiol- Renal Physiol. 322:F14-26. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00259.2021.
Rinschen MM, Palygin O, El-Meanawy A, Domingo-Almenara X, Palmero A, Schafroth MA, Golosova D, Dissanayake LV, Guijas C, Jaegers J, Demir F, Gliozzi ML, Xue J, Hohne M, Benzing T, Kok BP, Saez E, Bleich M, Himmerkus N, Weisz OA, Cravatt BF, Krüger M, Benton HP, Siuzdak G, and Staruschenko A. (2022) Accelerated lysine metabolism conveys kidney protection in salt-sensitive hypertension. Nat Commun. 13:4099 doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31670-0.
Shipman KE, Baty CJ, Long KR, Rbaibi Y, Cowan IA, Gerges M, Marciszyn AL, Kashlan OB, Tan RJ, Edwards A, Weisz OA (2023) Impaired endosome maturation mediates tubular proteinuria in Dent disease. J Am Soc Nephrol. 34:619-640. doi: 10.1681/ASN.0000000000000084.
Albalawy WN, Youm EB, Shipman KE, Baty CJ, Long KR, Rbaibi Y, Fagunloye OG, Jurczak MJ, Kashlan OB and Weisz OA (2024) SGLT2-independent effects of canagliflozin on proximal tubule fluid transport and albumin uptake. Am J Physiol- Renal Physiol.326:F1041-1053. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00005.202.4
Youm EB, Shipman KE, Albalawy WN, Vandevender AM, Sipula IJ, Rbaibi Y, Marciszyn AE, Lashway JA, Brown EE, Bondi CB, Boyd-Shiwarski CR, Tan RJ, Jurczak MJ, and Weisz OA (2024) Megalin knockout reduces SGLT2 expression and sensitizes to Western diet-induced kidney injury. Function zqae026, https://doi.org/10.1093/function/zqae026.
Pandya RD, Lackner EM, Xu CS, Zugates C, Burdyniuk M, Reyna-Neyra A, Pandya VD, Li W-P, Pang S*, Weisz OA*, and Caplan MJ*. (2026) Illuminating Renal Proximal Tubule Architecture Through High-Resolution Volume EM and Machine Learning Analysis. *corresponding authors. J Amer Soc Nephrol. 37:747-763. doi:10.1681/ASN.0000000884.
Beenken A, Shen T, Ghotra A, Erdjument-Bromage H, Lee J, Kushner JS, Sturley RE, Khan A, Kronenberg L, Shen LD, Donahoe PK, Neubert TA, High FA, Weisz OA, and Barasch J. Failure of endocytic flux in Donnai-Barrow syndrome caused by Lrp2p.C1400R. JCI Insight (2006) 11(12)e199341.
Detailed Research Interest (no more than two or three paragraphs): The Weisz lab uses imaging, biochemical, genomic, metabolomic, and mathematical modeling approaches in highly differentiated cell cultures and in animal models to study how endocytosis, transcription, and metabolism are linked in the kidney proximal tubule (PT). Cells in this nephron segment have a highly developed apical endocytic pathway that recovers proteins, vitamins, and other filtered molecules, and also regulates ion transport. We have discovered that the megalin (Lrp2) receptor drives endocytosis in the PT. In addition to blunting endocytic traffic, knockout of Lrp2 alters baseline transcription and metabolism, and renders cell and mice sensitive to nutritional stress. Current projects in the lab are focused on identifying where and how the megalin protein modulates these parameters. We are also creating knock-in models expressing common human Lrp2 polymorphisms associated with disease to determine how these affect megalin endocytosis, transcription, and response to nutritional stress. We welcome diverse and creative individuals who can think outside the box and enjoy working in a collaborative interdisciplinary environment.
