Gregory Ku, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Diabetes Center
School of Medicine

My lab is interested in improving all forms of diabetes mellitus. We use functional genomics to find new gene targets to improve pancreatic beta cell survival, proliferation, and function. I also see diabetes patients in the UCSF Diabetes Clinic.

Education & Training

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• Fellowship Endocrinology and Metabolism University of California, San Francisco 07/2014
• Residency Internal Medicine University of California, San Francisco 7/2008
• Ph.D. Graduate Division (Biomedical Sciences) University of California, San Francisco 2004
• M.D. School of Medicine University of California, San Francisco 2004
• AB Biochemical Sciences Harvard College 05/1996

Interests

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• genomics
• pancreatic beta cell
• diabetes

Websites

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• Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (bms.ucsf.edu)
• UCSF Diabetes Center (diabetes.ucsf.edu)
• UCSF Health (ucsfhealth.org)
• Ku Lab Website (diabetes.ucsf.edu)
• UCSF Division of Endocrinology (endocrine.ucsf.edu)

Grants and Projects

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• The role of mitochondrial fission in beta cell function, NIH, 2020-2023
• The role of Spry2 in beta cell function and the unfolded protein response, NIH, 2015-2021
• Uncovering Two Novel Diabetes Drug Targets in the IDG, NIH, 2019-2021
• A novel, beta cell specific regulator of the insulin promoter, NIH, 2014-2016
• Discovering and dissecting new regulators of insulin production in beta cells, NIH, 2011-2016

Publications (17)

Top publication keywords:
Receptors, G-Protein-CoupledChloridesCRISPR-Cas SystemsGene EditingIntracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsUnfolded Protein ResponseDynaminsRNA InterferenceMitochondriaInsulinIslets of LangerhansBiosensing TechniquesOxygen ConsumptionMitochondrial DynamicsInsulin-Secreting Cells

• SARS-CoV-2 ORF3A interacts with the Clic-like chloride channel-1 (CLCC1) and triggers an unfolded protein response.
  PeerJ 2023 Gruner HN, Zhang Y, Shariati K, Yiv N, Hu Z, Wang Y, Hejtmancik JF, McManus MT, Tharp K, Ku G
• A Superfolder Green Fluorescent Protein-Based Biosensor Allows Monitoring of Chloride in the Endoplasmic Reticulum.
  ACS sensors 2022 Shariati K, Zhang Y, Giubbolini S, Parra R, Liang S, Edwards A, Hejtmancik JF, Ratto GM, Arosio D, Ku G
• CLCC1 c. 75C>A Mutation in Pakistani Derived Retinitis Pigmentosa Families Likely Originated With a Single Founder Mutation 2,000-5,000 Years Ago.
  Frontiers in genetics 2022 Ma Y, Wang X, Shoshany N, Jiao X, Lee A, Ku G, Baple EL, Fasham J, Nadeem R, Naeem MA, Riazuddin S, Riazuddin SA, Crosby AH, Hejtmancik JF
• Adhesion-mediated mechanosignaling forces mitohormesis.
  Cell metabolism 2021 Tharp KM, Higuchi-Sanabria R, Timblin GA, Ford B, Garzon-Coral C, Schneider C, Muncie JM, Stashko C, Daniele JR, Moore AS, Frankino PA, Homentcovschi S, Manoli SS, Shao H, Richards AL, Chen KH, Hoeve …
• Selective monitoring of insulin secretion after CRISPR interference in intact pancreatic islets despite submaximal infection.
  Islets 2020 Shariati K, Pappalardo Z, Chopra DG, Yiv N, Sheen R, Ku G

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• Deletion of Gpr27 in vivo reduces insulin mRNA but does not result in diabetes.
  Scientific reports 2020 Chopra DG, Yiv N, Hennings TG, Zhang Y, Ku GM
• A Genetic Interaction Map of Insulin Production Identifies Mfi as an Inhibitor of Mitochondrial Fission.
  Endocrinology 2018 Lee J, Pappalardo Z, Chopra DG, Hennings TG, Vaughn I, Lan C, Choe JJ, Ang K, Chen S, Arkin M, McManus MT, German MS, Ku GM
• In Vivo Deletion of β-Cell Drp1 Impairs Insulin Secretion Without Affecting Islet Oxygen Consumption.
  Endocrinology 2018 Hennings TG, Chopra DG, DeLeon ER, VanDeusen HR, Sesaki H, Merrins MJ, Ku GM
• The Transcriptionally Permissive Chromatin State of Embryonic Stem Cells Is Acutely Tuned to Translational Output.
  Cell stem cell 2018 Bulut-Karslioglu A, Macrae TA, Oses-Prieto JA, Covarrubias S, Percharde M, Ku G, Diaz A, McManus MT, Burlingame AL, Ramalho-Santos M
• A Whole-Genome RNA Interference Screen Reveals a Role for Spry2 in Insulin Transcription and the Unfolded Protein Response.
  Diabetes 2017 Pappalardo Z, Gambhir Chopra D, Hennings TG, Richards H, Choe J, Yang K, Baeyens L, Ang K, Chen S, Arkin M, German MS, McManus MT, Ku GM
• Gαi/o-coupled receptor signaling restricts pancreatic β-cell expansion.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2015 Berger M, Scheel DW, Macias H, Miyatsuka T, Kim H, Hoang P, Ku GM, Honig G, Liou A, Tang Y, Regard JB, Sharifnia P, Yu L, Wang J, Coughlin SR, Conklin BR, Deneris ES, Tecott LH, German MS
• Menin determines K-RAS proliferative outputs in endocrine cells.
  The Journal of clinical investigation 2014 Chamberlain CE, Scheel DW, McGlynn K, Kim H, Miyatsuka T, Wang J, Nguyen V, Zhao S, Mavropoulos A, Abraham AG, O'Neill E, Ku GM, Cobb MH, Martin GR, German MS
• Research resource: RNA-Seq reveals unique features of the pancreatic β-cell transcriptome.
  Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md.) 2012 Ku GM, Kim H, Vaughn IW, Hangauer MJ, Myung Oh C, German MS, McManus MT
• An siRNA screen in pancreatic beta cells reveals a role for Gpr27 in insulin production.
  PLoS genetics 2012 Ku GM, Pappalardo Z, Luo CC, German MS, McManus MT
• Behind the scenes of a small RNA gene-silencing pathway.
  Human gene therapy 2008 Ku G, McManus MT
• A PAK1-PIX-PKL complex is activated by the T-cell receptor independent of Nck, Slp-76 and LAT.
  The EMBO journal 2001 Ku GM, Yablonski D, Manser E, Lim L, Weiss A
• A guanine nucleotide exchange factor-independent function of Vav1 in transcriptional activation.
  The Journal of biological chemistry 2000 Kuhne MR, Ku G, Weiss A