Robert Farese, Ph.D. (Harvard School of Public Health, Genetics and Complex Diseases​, and Harvard Medical School, Cell Biology​) focuses on discovering how neutral lipids are synthesized and stored in lipid droplets. Neutral lipids are generated by membrane-bound enzymes, such as the diacylglycerol transferases (DGATs) and acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferases (ACATs), that are localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and in lipid droplets. He investigates the mechanisms and regulation of these lipid storage enzymes, the mechanisms underlying the formation and expansion of lipid droplets, and the impact of these processes on physiology and disease. His work provides insights into the cell biology and physiology of energy and triglyceride metabolism, and into the underlying mechanisms of obesity and metabolic diseases. such as diabetes. The laboratory utilizes many systems approaches and generates large data sets for bioinformatic analyses.​