Hijai Regina Shin, Ph.D.

Research

The Shin lab investigates a novel family of intracellular signaling proteins that senses nutrients and coordinates metabolic responses. Although nutrient sensing is fundamental to cellular function, our understanding of how different nutrient signals are integrated remains incomplete. Additionally, little is known about how diverse metabolic inputs are coordinated across organelles to shape cellular behavior.

I discovered an intracellular G protein-coupled receptor (iGPCR) that senses cholesterol at the lysosomes, revealing a new mechanism by which cells integrate multiple metabolic signals. Building on this discovery, the team now aims to systematically characterize iGPCRs and uncover their roles in inter-organelle communications. Using a multidisciplinary approach that combines biochemistry, genetics, and molecular and structural biology, the Shin lab will identify the metabolites these receptors respond to, map the signaling pathways they regulate, and explore how these pathways contribute to health and diseases.

Given the prominent expression of iGPCRs in the brain, this work may uncover how nutrient sensing influences neuroendocrine signaling and appetite regulation—insights that could open new avenues for treating metabolic disorders.