Juan P. Liuzzi, PhD
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition
Office: AHC5-325
Phone: 305-348-1611
Email: jliuzzi@fiu.edu
Focus
Zinc and Other Trace Elements, Autophagy, Inflammation, Diabetes, Liver disease, Microbiome
Biography
Dr. Juan P. Liuzzi’s research focuses in identifying novel roles of zinc and zinc transporters in the regulation of autophagy. He initially focused on Zip14 because of its particular tissue expression profile. Given the very high expression of Zip14 in liver as well as the fact that Zip14 expression was induced by IL-6, it was of interest to test whether Zip14 could transport other metals including iron. Zip14 overexpression studies in mouse liver cells and insect cells demonstrated that Zip14 mediates non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) uptake2. These results were replicated by other groups and our publication has been cited over 650 times. He also studied Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) as a transcription factor involved in the regulation of the zinc transporter Zip4 and the characterization of Suppressor of cytokine -3 (SOCS3) regulation by zinc. Additionally, he is working in the identification of the role of zinc in the regulation of autophagy during acute ethanol exposure.
He is part of the editorial board for Preventive Nutrition and Food Science and Nutrients.
Education
- Postdoctoral Research Associate. Nutritional Genomics Laboratory, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Ph.D. Universidad Central de Venezuela
- MS. Universidad Simon Bolivar
- BA. Universidad Central de Venezuela