My research group focuses on 1) identifying the cause(s) of cholesterol and triglyceride disorders and 2) establishing new treatment options for patients who suffer from these disorders. After training with outstanding mentors with expertise in cholesterol metabolism and genetics (e.g. Abhimanyu Garg, MD, Scott Grundy, MD, PhD, and Helen Hobbs, MD), I joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2010. Since then, my group has been identifying families with severe elevations in cholesterol or triglycerides in an effort to understand the underlying cause(s). For example, we found that most patients with familial hypercholesterolemia don’t have a mutation in the known genes, perhaps implying that undiscovered genes may be to blame. If we can discover some of these genes and understand why they affect cholesterol, we may be able to improve patient outcomes.