1. Towards the end of his medical training in the early 1980s, Gokhan Hotamisligil was working on a unique tumor case on a patient and found they were comprised primarily of fat cells. The fatty tumors were due to a rare condition, Proteus Syndrome. Working in the field of metabolic regulation Hotamisligil began to explore the underlying pathways for insulin resistance. In his dissertation he discovered that the fat tissue of obese animals and humans were capable of producing inflammatory mediators. His research helped shape the current view of fat tissue as a “discrete, active organ in its own right, continuously exchanging messages with the rest of the body by way of the bloodstream.” By early 2002 Hotamisligil and his laboratory made …show more content…

3. For the past 20 years Gokhan spent his life conducting groundbreaking research for the development of therapeutic possibilities for diabetes and heart disease. At this point in his career Gokhan now focused on developing translational avenues for his work to reach those in need of new solutions for their health problems.
Kohlberg was hired in 2005 by Harvard to lead their technology transfer department. Under his leadership a new agenda for the group was created with the goal that in “five years from now, even three years from now, that Harvard has the most effective and socially responsible technology transfer program in the country.” The focus on technology development meant that the OTD would now proactively add value to Harvard-patented technologies by seeking new opportunities for commercializing inventions that have great public benefit.
Dean Bloom is focused on ensuring that Gokhan is able to maintain his commitment and focus to his basic research responsibilities while building his interdisciplinary department. Bloom believes that it is crucial that Gokhan’s research discoveries need to move from the bench-top to the bedside. However, he is worried about Gokhans ability to maintain his obligations to both Harvard and Syndexa and has definite “concerns about how realistic he is being about how much time the company will require of him.”
Uysal was one of the founding