CONTACT INFORMATIONBIOGRAPHYCREDENTIALSPATENTSPUBLICATIONSRobert A. Mooney, Ph.D.Contact InformationPhone NumbersOffice: (585) 275-8181Fax: (585) 756-4468Research LabsVisit Lab WebsiteLocationsUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterSchool of Medicine and Dentistry601 Elmwood Ave, Box 608Rochester, NY 14642Faculty AppointmentsProfessor Emeritus - Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (SMD) BiographyDirector of the Biochemical Genetics Laboratory. Director of the Point-of-Care Testing Section. Co-Director of the Pathways of Human Disease Ph.D. Program in Pathology. Dr. Mooney also serves as the Director of Clinical Laboratories at Monroe Community Hospital and has served as Director of the Hemoglobinopathy Laboratory in the Department of Medicine.ResearchObesity is increasing at an alarming rate in the industrialized world. This is a serious health concern because there is a strong association between obesity and insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Our lab is particularly interested in the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes currently afflicts 6-7% of the U.S. population. It is characterized by defective insulin action (insulin resistance) leading to poor control of blood glucose (sugar) levels. The disease can lead to heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage. Sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits leading to obesity are contributing to the increased incidence of diabetes at all ages. It has now become apparent that obesity-dependent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes have characteristics of a chronic inflammatory state. This link between inflammation and insulin resistance is the focus of our lab. In one area of our work, we are testing the hypothesis that cytokines (particularly interleukin-6) contribute to inhibition of insulin receptor signaling in target tissues leading to insulin resistance. Consistent with this model, IL-6 levels are 2-3 times higher in the blood of diabetics than controls. We have demonstrated that a family of regulatory proteins, SOCS (Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling) proteins, are induced by IL-6 and other inflammatory cytokines in liver cells. SOCS proteins appear to bind to the components of the insulin receptor signaling pathway and inhibit insulin action. Thus, we propose the inflammatory environment of obesity increases expression of SOCS3 leading to insulin resistance. We are currently testing this model of obesity-dependent insulin resistance at the cellular level and with experimental animals. The obese, type 2 diabetic has twice the risk of osteoarthritis when compared to a non-obese, non-diabetic individual. The traditional explanation for this risk is the increased bio-mechanical stress on the joint as a consequence of increased body weight. In another area of our lab's research, we have proposed an alternate explanation that attributes at least some of the progression of osteoarthritis in this population to metabolic dysregulation and chronic inflammation that is a hallmark of obesity-mediated diabetes. Recent investigations in our lab using diet-induced obese mice have provided experimental evidence to support a metabolic component to accelerated osteoarthritis progression in obesity-mediated diabetes. Ongoing investigations with genetic and dietary mouse models as well as in vitro models are being employed to define the metabolic pathways that are involved. Therapeutic modalities are also being investigated.CredentialsEducation1971BS | Rensselaer Polytech InstChemistry1973MA | Johns Hopkins U Sch MedicineBiochemistry1980PhD | Johns Hopkins U Sch MedicineBiochemistryPatentsPatent Title: Compositions of Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides and Commensal Microorganisms and Methods Thereof Patent #: 11,110,147 Issue Date: Sep 07, 2021 Country: United States Invented By: Christopher W Farnsworth, Robert Mooney, Janne Prawitt, Eric Schott, Michael J ZuscikPublicationsJournal Articles2/19/2019Favazzo LJ, Gill AL, Farnsworth CW, Mooney RA, Gill SR. "Response of and contributes to virulence and metabolism." Journal of bacteriology.. 2019 Feb 19; Epub 2019 Feb 19. 1/22/2019Moriarty TF, Harris LG, Mooney RA, Wenke JC, Riool M, Zaat SAJ, Moter A, Schaer TP, Khanna N, Kuehl R, Alt V, Montali A, Liu J, Zeiter S, Busscher HJ, Grainger DW, Richards RG. "Recommendations for design and conduct of preclinical in vivo studies of orthopedic device-related infection." Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society.. 2019 Jan 22; Epub 2019 Jan 22. 7/15/2018Farnsworth CW, Schott EM, Benvie A, Kates SL, Schwarz EM, Gill SR, Zuscik MJ, Mooney RA. "Exacerbated Foot Infections in Obese/Diabetic Mice Are Associated with Impaired Germinal Center Reactions, Ig Class Switching, and Humoral Immunity." The Journal of immunology : official journal of the American Association of Immunologists.. 2018 Jul 15; 201(2):560-572. Epub 2018 Jun 01. VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONSClose WindowSchedule an appointment with Robert A. Mooney, Ph.D.Please answer the following questions to help us find the right appointment for you.Important: If you believe that you have a medical or psychiatric emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. This website is not intended for emergency care.Have you seen this provider in the last 2 years?YesNoExisting Patient Schedule or request a follow up appointment online through MyChart. If you do not have a MyChart account, please close this window and call the appointment phone number. Robert A. Mooney, Ph.D. is currently scheduling for the following appointment type(s): Our policy does not permit patients to establish care with multiple providers within the same practice or specialty without prior approval. If you choose a new provider in the same office, we will cancel the appointment. Please contact the office directly with questions on this policy.