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Riera Lab

Personal Statement

My research is focused on the discovery of neural circuits regulating metabolic balance in the context of obesity, diabetes and the aging process. My lab studies the role of central and peripheral sensory neural circuits on metabolic health and aging. Our mission is to discover novel target genes playing a fundamental role in the onset of diabetes and obesity, and design preclinical strategies to ameliorate metabolic function in mouse models of disease."


Celine Riera, PhD

  • Obesity and Type 2 diabetes: inter-individual differences in cold perception are directly associated with brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and resistance to weight gain in diet-induced obesity (image).
  • Sex-specific regulation of thermogenesis and stress.
  • Gene therapy to delay Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease in neurodegenerative models.
Meet Our Team

Learn more about the scientists, faculty members, investigators and other healthcare professionals of the Riera Laboratory, whose dedicated efforts lead to groundbreaking discoveries.

Jovanovic P, Pool AH, Morones N, Wang Y, Novinbakht E, Keshishian N, Jang K, Oka Y, Riera CE.

Nat Commun. 2023 Aug 15;14(1):4937.

Jovanovic P, Riera CE.

Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Apr;33(4):281-291.

Jovanovic P, Wang Y, Vit JP, Novinbakht E, Morones N, Hogg E, Tagliati M, Riera CE.

PLoS One. 2022 Mar 22;17(3):e0263074.

Makwana K*, Chodavarapu H*, Morones N, Chi J, Riera CE, Novinbakht E, Nguyen PT, Jovanovic P, Wang Y, Nguyen PT, et al

Mol Metab. 2021 Jan 5:101161.

Contact the Riera Lab

127 S. San Vicente Blvd.
Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion, Suite A8305
Los Angeles, CA 90048