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Faculty Detail    
Name KIRK HABEGGER
  
Campus Address SHEL 1213 Zip 0000
Phone  (205) 934-9835
E-mail  habegger@uab.edu
Other websites Kirk Habegger PH.D
Habegger Lab website
     

Education
Undergraduate  Indiana University    2002  Bachelor of Science 
Graduate  Indiana University School of Medicine    2009  PhD 


Faculty Appointment(s)
Appointment Type Department Division Rank
Primary  Med - Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism  Med - Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Associate Professor
Center  Center for AIDS Research  Center for AIDS Research Associate Professor
Center  Comprehensive Diabetes Center  Comprehensive Diabetes Center Associate Professor
Center  Ctr for Exercise Medicine (Org Ret)  Ctr for Exercise Medicine (Org Ret) Associate Professor
Center  Nutrition Sciences Research  Nutrition Obesity Res Ctr (NORC) Associate Professor

Graduate Biomedical Sciences Affiliations
Biochemistry and Structural Biology 
Cell, Molecular, & Developmental Biology 
Neuroscience 
Pathobiology and Molecular Medicine 

Biographical Sketch 
Throughout my training I have acquired a diverse background in energy metabolism research, endocrinology, biochemistry, and integrative physiology. This background has provided me with unique training and expertise in key research areas. In my graduate work I specialized in the areas of plasma membrane dynamics and glucose transport, providing a solid foundation in key areas of cell biology. During my postdoctoral training I acquired significant expertise in neuroendocrinology, along with a broad background in obesity and diabetes research. Many of these projects included studies of novel pharmacological therapies against diabetes and obesity in mice, providing me with a rich background in the translational aspects of neuroendocrinology. We have recently reported that the novel hormone FGF21 is responsible for many of the non-canonical actions of glucagon; including its role energy balance and body weight regulation. Future work in my group will extend from these initial findings and will focus on the non-canonical roles of glucagon biology.

Society Memberships
Organization Name Position Held Org Link
American Diabetes Association  professional member   
The Obesity Society  professional member   
 



Research/Clinical Interest
Title
FGF21 as mediator of the metabolic actions of glucagon & Duodenal nutrient exclusion enhances glucose metabolism via CNS regulation
Description
My work aims to discover and dissect neuroendocrine and peripheral signaling pathways that regulate energy, glucose and lipid metabolism. Current projects in my group focus on 1) the non-cannonical aspects of glucagon biology and 2) CNS integration of duodenal nutrient sensing.

Selected Publications 
Publication PUBMEDID
Fibroblast growth factor 21 is required for beneficial effects of exercise during chronic high-fat feeding.
Loyd C, Magrisso IJ, Haas M, Balusu S, Krishna R, Itoh N, Sandoval DA, Perez-Tilve D, Obici S, Habegger KM.
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2016 Sep 1;121(3):687-98. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00456.2016. 		 27445299 
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) as a novel metabolic target.
Sánchez-Garrido MA, Habegger KM, Clemmensen C, Holleman C, Müller TD, Perez-Tilve D, Li P, Agrawal AS, Finan B, Drucker DJ, Tschöp MH, DiMarchi RD, Kharitonenkov A.
Mol Metab. 2016 Jul 16;5(10):1015-24. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2016.07.003. 		 27689014 
Chemical Hybridization of Glucagon and Thyroid Hormone Optimizes Therapeutic Impact for Metabolic Disease.
Finan B, Clemmensen C, Zhu Z, Stemmer K, Gauthier K, Müller L, De Angelis M, Moreth K, Neff F, Perez-Tilve D, Fischer K, Lutter D, Sánchez-Garrido MA, Liu P, Tuckermann J, Malehmir M, Healy ME, Weber A, Heikenwalder M, Jastroch M, Kleinert M, Jall S, Brandt S, Flamant F, Schramm KW, Biebermann H, Döring Y, Weber C, Habegger KM, Keuper M, Gelfanov V, Liu F, Köhrle J, Rozman J, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Hrabě de Angelis M, Hofmann SM, Yang B, Tschöp MH, DiMarchi R, Müller TD.
Cell. 2016 Oct 20;167(3):843-857.e14. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.09.014. 		 27720451 
A rationally designed monomeric peptide triagonist corrects obesity and diabetes in rodents.
Finan B, Yang B, Ottaway N, Smiley DL, Ma T, Clemmensen C, Chabenne J, Zhang L, Habegger KM, Fischer K, Campbell JE, Sandoval D, Seeley RJ, Bleicher K, Uhles S, Riboulet W, Funk J, Hertel C, Belli S, Sebokova E, Conde-Knape K, Konkar A, Drucker DJ, Gelfanov V, Pfluger PT, Müller TD, Perez-Tilve D, DiMarchi RD, Tschöp MH.
Nat Med. 2015 Jan;21(1):27-36. doi: 10.1038/nm.3761. 		 25485909 
Duodenal endoluminal barrier stimulates Glucagon-like Peptide 1 secretion, improves body weight and enhances glucose homeostasis.
Habegger KM, Al Massadi O, Heppner KM, Guo Y, Lehti M, Berger J, Holland J, Ottaway N, Amburgy S, Raver C, Perez-Tilve D, Pfluger PT, Seeley RJ, & Tschoep MH.
Gut 2013 Oct 9. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-304583.  		 24107591 
Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Mediates Specific Glucagon Actions.
Habegger K.M., Stemmer K, Cheng C, Mueller TD, Heppner KM, Ottaway N., Holland J, Hembree JL, Smiley D, Vasily G, Krishna R, Arafat A, Konkar A, Belli S, Kapps M, Woods SC, Hofmann SM, D’Alessio DA, Pfluger PT, Perez-Tilve D, Seeley RJ, Konishi M, Itoh N, Kharitonenkov A, Spranger J, DiMarchi RD, & Tschöp MH
Diabetes. 2013 May;62(5):1453-63. doi: 10.2337/db12-1116 		 23305646 
GLP-1R responsiveness predicts individual gastric bypass efficacy on glucose tolerance in rats.
Habegger KM, Heppner KM, Amburgy SE, Ottaway N, Holland J, Raver C, Bartley E, Müller TD, Pfluger PT, Berger J, Toure M, Benoit SC, Dimarchi RD, Perez-Tilve D, D'Alessio DA, Seeley RJ, Tschöp MH.
Diabetes. 2014 Feb;63(2):505-13. doi: 10.2337/db13-0511 		 24186863 
Glucagon-like peptide-1 Receptor agonism improves Adjustable Gastric Banding in rats.
Habegger K.M., Kirchner H., Ottaway N., Holland J., Raver C., Bartley E., Müller T.D., Perez-Tilve D., Pfluger P.T., Seeley R.J., D’Alessio D., Tschöp, M. Diabetes 2013 Sep;62(9):3261-7. doi: 10.2337/db13-0117. 		 23775764 
Unimolecular dual incretins maximize metabolic benefits in rodents, monkeys, and humans.
Finan B, Ma T, Ottaway N, Müller TD, Habegger KM, Heppner KM, Kirchner H, Holland J, Hembree J, Raver C, Lockie SH, Smiley DL, Gelfanov V, Yang B, Hofmann S, Bruemmer D, Drucker DJ, Pfluger PT, Perez-Tilve D, Gidda J, Vignati L, Zhang L, Hauptman JB, Lau M, Brecheisen M, Uhles S, Riboulet W, Hainaut E, Sebokova E, Conde-Knape K, Konkar A, Dimarchi RD, Tschöp MH.
Sci Transl Med. 2013 Oct 30;5(209):209ra151. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3007218 		 24174327 
Restoration of leptin responsiveness in diet-induced obese mice using an optimized leptin analog in combination with exendin-4 or FGF21
Müller TD*, Sullivan LM*, Habegger K*, Yi CX, Kabra D, Grant E, Ottaway N, Krishna R, Holland J, Hembree J, Perez-Tilve D, Pfluger PT, Deguzman MJ, Siladi ME, Kraynov VS, Axelrod DW, Dimarchi R, Pinkstaff JK, Tschöp MH.
J Pept Sci. 2012 Jun;18(6):383-93. doi: 10.1002/psc.2408. 		 22565812  
Role of adipose and hepatic atypical Protein Kinase C-lamda (PKC-λ) in the development of obesity and glucose intolerance.
Habegger KM, Matzke D, Ottaway N, Hembree J, Holland J, Raver C, Mansfeld J, Müller TD, Perez-Tilve D, Pfluger PT, Lee SJ, Diaz-Meco M, Moscat J, Tschöp MH, and Hofmann SM.
Adipocyte. 2012 Oct 1;1(4):203-214. 		 23700535