Rate My Professor Rajat Singh

Rajat Singh is a Professor in the Department of Medicine, specializing in Endocrinology, and Molecular Pharmacology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He obtained his MBBS from the Medical College, University of Calcutta (1993-1999), and MD/Residency from the Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (2001-2004). He completed postdoctoral research training in autophagy and liver physiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine under mentors Dr. Mark J. Czaja and Dr. Ana Maria Cuervo (2004-2009). His career trajectory includes serving as Instructor in the Department of Medicine (Hepatology) from 2009 to 2010, Assistant Professor from 2010 to 2015, and Associate Professor from 2015 onwards, with additional appointment as Professor of Ageing at Newcastle University in 2016. Singh is affiliated with the Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Institute for Aging Research, and Nathan Shock Center for Basic Biology of Aging. He is a member of professional societies such as the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American Diabetes Association, and American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Singh's research focuses on autophagy and its roles in metabolic regulation, including lipophagy, energy balance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and aging. His laboratory investigates hypothalamic autophagy, circadian control of glucose metabolism, gut lipid metabolism by mTOR and autophagy proteins, and interventions like intermeal fasting to prevent metabolic aging. Notable publications include "Autophagy regulates lipid metabolism" (Nature, 2009), "Autophagy regulates adipose mass and differentiation" (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2009), "Autophagy in hypothalamic AgRP neurons regulates food intake and energy balance" (Cell Metabolism, 2011), "Autophagy proteins regulate ERK phosphorylation" (Nature Communications, 2013), "Autophagy in the CNS and periphery coordinate lipophagy and lipolysis in brown adipose tissue and liver" (Cell Metabolism, 2016), "System-wide benefits of intermeal fasting by autophagy" (Cell Metabolism, 2017), and "Autophagy regulates the liver clock and glucose metabolism by degrading CRY1" (Cell Metabolism, 2018). He has secured major funding from NIH R01 grants, including 6R01 AG043517 (2019-2024) on hypothalamic autophagy and metabolic aging. Awards include the American Liver Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2006), Dennis Shields Postdoctoral Award (2009), NIH K01 (2010), Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar in Aging (2012), and American Diabetes Association Innovative Basic Science Award (2018). Singh contributes to the field through editorial board roles at Journal of Biological Chemistry, iScience, and Adipocyte, and peer review for high-impact journals like Nature, Cell, and Science.