Fred Gorelick, MD

Henry J. and Joan W. Binder Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases) and of Cell Biology; Deputy Director, Yale M.D., Ph.D. Program

Research Interests

Autophagy; Cell Biology; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Pancreatic Diseases; Pancreatitis; Pancreas, Exocrine; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; Proteolysis

Research Organizations

Cell Biology: Membrane Traffic

Internal Medicine: Digestive Diseases | Liver Center

Faculty Research

Office of Cooperative Research

Research Summary

The central interest of our laboratory is the mechanisms that initiate pancreatitis, a severe inflammatory disease that causes death in up to 5% of patients. The disease begins with the premature activation of pancreatic digestive enzymes within the acinar cell, inhibition of secretion, activation of inflammatory pathways, and cell death. We study the pathways that initiate disease with a goal of identifying therapeutic targets.

Speciailzed Terms: Exocrine pancreas; Pancreatitis; Intracellular proteolysis; Vacuolar ATPase; AMPK; Protein kinase C

Extensive Research Description

We have found that activation of digestive enzymes in the pancreatic acinar cell takes place in a special cellular organelle that has features of both a lysosome and classic secretory vesicle. We are characterizing this novel compartment and the second messenger signals that stimulate zymogen activation and are focusing on the role of vacuolar-ATPases (vATPase) and organelle acidification. vATPase are distinctive proton transporters that are dynamically regulated by assembly and disassembly of membrane-bound and soluble subunits.
We have found that distinct protein kinases, such as AMPK, regulate the activation and inactivation of the vATPase. These studies have direct clinical implications. Thus, we have recently found that an acute acid load worsens pancreatitis responses in an animal model of this disease. Further, certain metabolic products, such as lactate may lessen the severity of disease. Finally, pharmacological agents that enhance the activity of AMPK may be useful for disease treatment and/or prevention. We plan to pursue these studies using rodents models of pancreatitis, human acinar cells, and to collobrate with clinical investigators to examine these pathways in patients.

1) Effects of AMPK activators, especially salicylate, in cellular and animal models of acute pancreatitis

2) Effects of the plasma protein, renalase, on reducing injury in pancreatitis (with Dr. Gary Desir and Loren Laine)

2) Effects of cigarette smoke toxins in cellular and animal models of pancreatitis

Selected Publications

Full List of PubMed Publications

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Contact Info

Fred Gorelick, MD
Mailing Address
Internal MedicinePO Box 208056
333 Cedar Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8056

Curriculum Vitae

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