Abdelfattah El Ouaamari, Ph.D., trained in the laboratory of Emmanuel Van Obberghen at the School of Medicine in Nice, where he studied the role of microRNAs in the regulation of insulin signaling in the pancreatic β cells. After completion of his doctoral studies, Dr. El Ouaamari moved to Boston in 2010 and joined the laboratory of Rohit N. Kulkarni at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School for his postdoctoral training. During his fellowship, he had a major interest in the role of organ crosstalk in adaptive islet β-cell regeneration in pre-diabetic states. In March 2017, Dr. El Quaamari became an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He studied the role of sensory neuron-islet intercommunication in glucose metabolism with an emphasis on the identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms promoting islet β-cell function. In December 2022, Dr. El Ouaamari was appointed associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Pharmacology at NYMC where he continues to elucidate the role of peripheral sensory neurons in islet β-cell activity and energy homeostasis.

Areas of Expertise

• Pancreatic innervation
• Insulin secretion
• Energy balance
• Diabetes
• Obesity

Education

• B.S., Biochemistry, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis
• M.S., Life and Health Sciences, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis
• Ph.D., Molecular and Cellular Biology, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis

Honors and Awards

• 2019, New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Award
• 2019, Charles and Johanna Busch Biomedical Research Grant Award
• 2019, New Jersey Health Foundation Research Grant Award
• 2018, Human Islet Research Network New Investigator Pilot Award
• 2017, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Transition Award
• 2017, Harvard University Distinction in Teaching Award
• 2016, Nutrition Obesity Research Center-Harvard Pilot Award
• 2016, Joslin Diabetes Center Outstanding Research Award
• 2015, Danish Diabetes Academy Investigator Travel Grant Award
• 2014, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Advanced Fellowship
• 2011-2014, Francophone Society of Diabetes Investigator Travel Grant Award
• 2011, American Diabetes Association Investigator Travel Grant Award
• 2010, Francophone Society of Diabetes Research Fellowship
• 2008, Medical Research Foundation Research Fellowship
• 2006, French League against Cancer Research Fellowship

Research

The scarcity of functional insulin-secreting β cells in the pancreas is a common denominator in all forms of diabetes. Understanding the processes enhancing the number of functional insulin-producing cells will provide clues to designing effective therapies for individuals with diabetes. Several organ systems crosstalk with the pancreatic islet cells to maintain whole-body glucose homeostasis—particularly in the settings of pre-diabetes and insulin resistance. However, the nature and the identity of the molecules mediating this inter-organ metabolic communication remain to be determined. The El Ouaamari laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach to identify local, systemic and neuronal signals regulating the number and the function of pancreatic islet insulin-producing β cells in mouse and human models of obesity and diabetes.

Papers

• Deconstructing the origins of sexual dimorphism in sensory modulation of pancreatic β cells.McEwan S, Kwon H, Tahiri A, Shanmugarajah N, Cai W, Ke J, Huang T, Belton A, Singh B, Wang L, Pang ZP, Dirice E, Engel EA, El Ouaamari A. Molecular Metabolism, 2021
• TRPV1 neurons regulate β-cell function in a sex-dependent manner.Bou Karam J, Cai W, Mohamed R, Huang T, Meng L, Homan EP, Dirice E, Kahn CR, El Ouaamari A. Molecular Metabolism, 2018.
• SerpinB1 Promotes Pancreatic β Cell Proliferation.El Ouaamari A, Dirice E, Gedeon N, Hu J, Zhou JY, Shirakawa J, Hou L, Goodman J, Karampelias C, Qiang G, Boucher J, Martinez R, Gritsenko MA, De Jesus DF, Kahraman S, Bhatt S, Smith RD, Beer HD, Jungtrakoon P, Gong Y, Goldfine AB, Liew CW, Doria A, Andersson O, Qian WJ, Remold-O'Donnell E, Kulkarni RN. Cell Metabolism. 2016.
• Compensatory Islet Response to Insulin Resistance Revealed by Quantitative Proteomics. El Ouaamari A, Zhou JY, Liew CW, Shirakawa J, Dirice E, Gedeon N, Kahraman S, De Jesus DF, Bhatt S, Kim JS, Clauss TR, Camp DG 2nd, Smith RD, Qian WJ, Kulkarni RN. Journal of Proteome Research, 2015.
• Liver-derived systemic factors drive β cell hyperplasia in insulin-resistant states.  El Ouaamari A, Kawamori D, Dirice E, Liew CW, Shadrach JL, Hu J, Katsuta H, Hollister-Lock J, Qian WJ, Wagers AJ, Kulkarni RN. Cell Reports, 2013.