Dr. Bikman’s research focus is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that mediate the disruption that causes and accompanies metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. Driven by his academic training (Ph.D. in Bioenergetics and postdoctoral fellowship with the Duke-National University of Singapore in metabolic disorders), he is currently exploring the contrasting roles of insulin and ketones as key drivers of metabolic function. He frequently publishes his research in peer-reviewed journals and presents at international science meetings.
Research Interests
The focus of my lab (the Laboratory of Obesity and Metabolism) is twofold. First, we aim to identify the molecular mechanisms that explain the increased risk of disease that accompanies weight gain, with particular emphasis on the etiology of insulin resistance and disrupted mitochondrial function. Second, we hope to reveal novel cellular processes that are responsible for fat development and accrual, with a particular emphasis on white/brown fat and the contrasting effects of insulin and ketones.
Much of our recent work is focused on the pathogenicity of the hormone insulin. Insulin, while necessary for healthy living, elicits significant and harmful changes in tissue metabolic function when chronically elevated. Several projects have stemmed from this work, including a focus on the varying effects of dietary macronutrients (e.g. carbohydrates vs. fats) on insulin homeostasis, the effects of insulin on brown adipose tissue (and metabolic rate), and insulin-induced brain alterations.
We employ numerous pharmacological and genetic tools to better understand the origins and consequences of ceramide accumulation on various factors related to metabolic function, including signal transduction, substrate utilization, and energy expenditure.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Bioenergetics , East Carolina University (2008)
Master of Science, Exercise Physiology , Brigham Young University (2005)
Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science , Brigham Young University (2003)
Landon DeruBenjamin Thomas BikmanLance E DavidsonLarry Allan TuckerGilbert W FellinghamCiera L BartholomewHolly L YuanBruce W BaileyKYF TsaiBenjamin Thomas BikmanPR ReynoldsJA ArroyoChase M WaltonSamuel M JacobsenBlake W DallonErin R SaitoShantelle L H BennettLance E DavidsonDavid M ThomsonRobert D HyldahlBenjamin T BikmanT ChenJonathon T HillT M MooreCheung ECKZ E OlsenT B PiorczynskiT D MarriottJeffery S TessemChase M WaltonBenjamin Thomas BikmanJason Merrell HansenDavid Morley ThomsonK M HirschiTsai KYFT DavisJ C ClarkM N KnowltonBenjamin Thomas BikmanPaul Rulon ReynoldsJuan Alberto ArroyoJ L GibbsB W DallonJ B LewisC M WaltonJuan Alberto ArroyoPaul Rulon ReynoldsBenjamin Thomas BikmanJ MejiaK HirshiK TsaiM LongB TullisE BitterB BikmanP ReynoldsJuan Alberto ArroyoK HirshiK TsaiT DavisJ ClarkM KnowltonB BikmanP ReynoldsJuan Alberto ArroyoJenny A. PapeColleen R. NeweyHaley R. BurrellAudrey WorkmanKatelyn PerryBenjamin T. BikmanLaura C. BridgewaterJulianne House GroseD DeMilleJ A PapeBenjamin Thomas BikmanM GhassemianJulianne House GroseB A ParkerC M WaltonS T CarrJ L AndrusCheung ECKM J DupliseaE K WilsonC DraneyD R LathenK B KennerDavid Morley ThomsonJeffery S TessemBenjamin Thomas BikmanB W DallonB A ParkerA E HodsonT S TippettsM E HarrisonAppiah MMAJ E WittJ L GibbsH M GrayT M SantBenjamin Thomas BikmanT J Rowley, 4thB F BitnerJ D RayD R LathenA T SmithsonB W DallonC J PlowmanBenjamin Thomas BikmanJason Merrell HansenM R DorenkottK M GoodrichL YeS F O'KeefeA P NeilsonJeffery S TessemJE LindsleyEE AbaliBenjamin Thomas BikmanSD ClineT FultonOD RosenthalVE UhleyRJ WeintrautPD WilliamsJonathan Jayme WiscoK ThompsonC J BanksN W RodriguezK R GashlerR R PandyaJ B MortensonM D WhitedE J SoderblomJ W ThompsonM A MoseleyA R ReddiJeffery S TessemM P TorresBenjamin Thomas BikmanJoshua AndersenMaryJane SampsonDaniel R LathenBlake W DallonCarrie DraneyJason D RayKyle B KenerBrian A ParkerJonathan L GibbsJarom S GroppJeffery S TessemBenjamin Thomas BikmanO J TaylorM O ThatcherS T CarrJ L GibbsA M TrumbullM E HarrisonD R WindenM J PearsonT S TippettsW L HollandPaul Rulon ReynoldsBenjamin Thomas BikmanK NapaA C BaederJ E WittS T RayburnM G MillerB W DallonJ L GibbsS H WilcoxD R WindenJ H SmithPaul Rulon ReynoldsBenjamin Thomas BikmanN T SandersD J DutsonJ W DurrantJ B LewisShalene Hardman WilcoxD R WindenJuan Alberto ArroyoBenjamin Thomas BikmanPaul Rulon ReynoldsJosh B. LewisKelsey M. HirschiJuan Alberto ArroyoBenjamin Thomas BikmanDavid Lee KooymanPaul Rulon ReynoldsM S ReynoldsChad R HancockJ D RayK B KenerC DraneyK GarlandJ HardmanBenjamin Thomas BikmanJeffery S TessemA C BaederK NapaS T RichardsonO J TaylorS G AndersenS H WilcoxD R WindenPaul Rulon ReynoldsBenjamin Thomas BikmanA E HodsonT S TippettsBenjamin Thomas BikmanMelissa Ellen Smith HansenK J SimmonsT S TippettsM O ThatcherR R SaitoS T HubbardA M TrumbullB A ParkerO J TaylorBenjamin Thomas BikmanO S KwonR E TannerK M BarrowsM RuntschJ D SymonsT JaliliBenjamin Thomas BikmanD A McClainR M O'ConnellM J DrummondMichael B NelsonAdam C SwensenDuane R WindenJared S BodineBenjamin Thomas BikmanPaul Rulon ReynoldsJT GibbyDK NjeruST CvetkoRay M MerrillBenjamin Thomas BikmanWA GibbyT S TippettsD R WindenA C SwensenM B NelsonM O ThatcherR R SaitoT B CondieK J SimmonsAllan M JuddPaul Rulon ReynoldsBenjamin Thomas BikmanMikayla O ThatcherTrevor S TippettsMichael B NelsonAdam C SwensenDuane R WindenMelissa E HansenMadeline C AndersonIan E JohnsonJames Paul PorterPaul Rulon ReynoldsBenjamin Thomas BikmanDesiree DeMilleBenjamin Thomas BikmanAndrew D. MathisJohn T PrinceJordan T. MackaySteven W. SowaTacie D. HallJulianne House GroseMelissa E. HansenTrevor S. TippettsEmma R. MoultonZachariah E. HolubAdam C. SwensenJohn T PrinceBenjamin Thomas BikmanMelissa SmithTrevor TippettsEric BrassfieldBraden TuckerAdelaide OckeyAdam SwensenTamil AnthonymuthuTrevor WashburnDaniel KaneJohn T PrinceBenjamin Thomas BikmanKaterhine A EricksonMelissa E SmithTamil S AnthonymuthuEric S BrassfieldBraden J TuckerJohn T PrinceChad R HancockBenjamin Thomas BikmanMobin M SiddiqueBenjamin Thomas BikmanLiping WangMarkus W WenkScott A SummersBenjamin Thomas BikmanYuguang GuanGuanghou ShuiSiddique Mobin MJi-Yun KimMarkus R WenkScott A SummersBenjamin Thomas BikmanBenjamin Thomas BikmanMichael Andrew BresslerBenjamin Thomas BikmanScott A SummersWilliam L HollandBenjamin Thomas BikmanScott A Summerset al.Benjamin Thomas BikmanScott A SummersBenjamin Thomas BikmanG. Lynis DohmJoseph A HoumardBenjamin Thomas BikmanG. Lynis DohmDaniel A KaneBenjamin Thomas BikmanP. Darrell NeuferBenjamin Thomas BikmanScott A SummersWilliam L HollandBenjamin Thomas BikmanScott A SummersPhilip E Schereret al.Benjamin Thomas BikmanRonald N CortrightBenjamin Thomas BikmanG. Lynis DohmNR StobBenjamin Thomas BikmanChristopher Bell
Presentations
Benjamin Thomas Bikman
Aimee HodsonTrevor TippettsBenjamin Thomas Bikman
Julianne House GroseBenjamin Thomas BikmanDesiree DemilleJenny Pattison
Julianne House GroseBenjamin Thomas BikmanDesiree DeMille
Benjamin Thomas Bikman
Kurtis SimmonsMelissa HansenMikayla ThatcherTrevor TippettsBenjamin Thomas Bikman
Rex SaitoKurtis SimmonsMelissa HansenMikayla ThatcherBenjamin Thomas Bikman
Julianne House GroseJenny PattinsonDesiree DeMilleBenjamin Thomas Bikman
Benjamin Thomas Bikman
Benjamin Thomas Bikman
Benjamin Thomas Bikman
Benjamin Thomas BikmanBraden J Tucker
Benjamin Thomas BikmanMikayla O Thatcher
Benjamin Thomas BikmanMelissa E Smith
Benjamin Thomas Bikman
Benjamin Thomas BikmanKatherine A EricksonMelissa E Smith