Charles Brenner, Ph.D.

cbrenner@coh.org
626-218-4750
Charles Brenner, Ph.D.
Alfred E. Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism; Professor, Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism
Research Area
NAD metabolomics & systems biology
Coronavirus biology
Postpartum, lactation & neurodevelopment
Diabesity & fatty liver
Genotype-specific cancer targeting
Appointments
Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism
Professor and Chair of the Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism
Research Teams
Diabetes & Cancer Discovery Science
Diabetes Complications and Metabolism
Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cancer (Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Charles Brenner is the Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism in the Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism. His laboratory focuses on disturbances in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), the central catalyst of metabolism, in diseases and conditions of metabolic stress.
 
Among his most significant discoveries, he identified nicotinamide riboside as an unanticipated vitamin precursor of NAD. He also developed a quantitative metabolomic technology that allowed him to discover that the NAD system is disturbed by many diseases and conditions of metabolic stress including diabetes and cancer.
 
Specifically, Dr. Brenner and colleagues have found that in animal models of fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, diabetic and chemotherapeutic neuropathy, central brain injury, heart failure, postpartum and coronavirus infection, the NAD system is disturbed. In these models, provision of nicotinamide riboside is highly protective.
 
Dr. Brenner led the team that conducted the first clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside establishing safe oral availability and has participated in trials establishing safety and potential activities of nicotinamide riboside in clearance of liver fat and depression of common markers of inflammation. He continues to research how the NAD system is dysregulated as a function of postpartum, coronavirus infection, inflammatory conditions, diabesity and specific malignancies with the dual goals of defining mechanisms of biological regulation and developing safe preventative and therapeutic interventions for people.
 
Location
Education & Experience
Degrees

  • 1988-1993, Ph.D., Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

  • 1979-1983, B.A. with honors, Biology, Wesleyan University Middletown, CT

Fellowship

  • 1993-1996, Postdoctoral Fellow with Drs. Gregory A. Petsko & Dagmar Ringe, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Professional Experience

  • 2020-present, Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair & Professor, Department of Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2009-2020, Roy J. Carver Chair & Head, Department of Biochemistry, Professor of Internal Medicine, Founding Director, University of Iowa Obesity Initiative, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

  • 2003-2009, Associate Professor (2003-2007), Professor (2007-2009), Departments of Genetics and of Biochemistry, Director, Cancer Mechanisms Program (2003-2009), Associate Director, Basic Sciences, Norris Cotton Cancer Center (2008-2009), Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH

  • 1996-2003, Assistant Professor (1996-2000), Associate Professor (2000-2003), Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Director (2000-2003), Structural Biology Program, Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA

  • 1986-1988, Research Assistant with Dr. Kunihiro Matsumoto, DNAX Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA

  • 1983-1985, Research Assistant with Dr. Anthony J. Brake, Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, CA

Awards & Memberships
Awards

  • 2023, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

  • 2020, Mary Swartz Rose Senior Investigator Award, American Society of Nutrition

  • 2019, Keynote Lecturer at Norway AGE Conference on NAD, Oslo

  • 2018, Keynote Lecturer at 15th International Symposium on Milk Genomics & Human Health, Sacramento

  • 2018, Dartmouth Technology Transfer Innovation and Commercialization Award

  • 2018, Keynote, Nutritional Ingredients Association-West, Laguna Beach, CA

  • 2017, Co-chair, FASEB Conference on NAD Metabolism and Signaling, New Orleans, LA

  • 2016, Keynote, Lecturer, Des Moines University Regional Research Symposium

  • 2016, CNIO Distinguished Lecturer, Madrid

  • 2016, ASBMB Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education

  • 2015, Keynote Lecturer, Annual Pathobiology Retreat, Brown University

  • 2015, Ackerman Student Lecturer in Biochemistry and Redox Biology, University of Nebraska Lincoln

  • 2014, State of Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence

  • 2012, Fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science

  • 2012, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Oberley Award

  • 2012-2016, ASBMB Today, Chair, Editorial Advisory Board

  • 2009-2012, ASBMB Publications Committee, Chair, 2011-2012

  • 2009, Co-chair, FASEB Conference on NAD Metabolism and Signaling, Carefree, Arizona

  • 2008, Lung Cancer Research Foundation Awardee

  • 2007, William E.M. Lands Lecturer in Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Michigan

  • 1998-2001, Burroughs Wellcome Foundation New Investigator in Pharmacological Sciences

  • 1998-2000, Beckman Young Investigator, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation

  • 1998-2000, Basil O’Connor Scholar, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

  • 1994, Leukemia Society of America Short-Term Scientific Exchange Award, Max-Planck-Institut, Dortmund

  • 1993-1996, Fellow of the Leukemia Society of America, Brandeis University

  • 1988-1992, Program in Cancer Biology trainee, Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University

  • 1979-1983, National Merit Scholar, Wesleyan University

  • 1979-1980, Connecticut State Scholar, Wesleyan University

Publications
  • P. H. Ear, A. Chadda, S. B. Gumusoglu, M. S. Schmidt, S. Vogeler, J. Malicoat, J. Kadel, M. M. Moore, M. E. Migaud, H. E. Stevens & C. Brenner, “Maternal Nicotinamide Riboside Enhances Postpartum Weight Loss, Juvenile Offspring Development, and Neurogenesis of Adult Offspring,” Cell Reports. v. 26 (4), pp. 969-983 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.01.007
  • N.R. Fons, R.K. Sundaram, G.A. Breuer, S. Peng, R.L. McLean, A.N. Kalathil, M.S. Schmidt, D.M. Carvalho, A. Mackay, C. Jones, A.M. Carcaboso, J. Nazarian, M.E. Berens, C. Brenner, & R.S. Bindra., “PPM1D mutations silence NAPRT gene expression and confer NAMPT inhibitor sensitivity in glioma,” Nature Communications, v. 10, 3790 (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11732-6
  • R. Parker, M.S. Schmidt, O. Cain, B. Gunson & C. Brenner, “The NAD+ Metabolome is Functionally Depressed in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation for Alcohol-related Liver Disease,” Hepatology Communications, v. 4, pp.1183-1192 (2020) DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1530
  • T.S. Nam, D.R. Park, S.-Y. Rah, T.G. Woo, H.T. Chung, C. Brenner & U.-H. Kim. “Interleukin-8 drives CD38 to form NAADP from NADP+ and NAAD in the endolysosomes to mobilize Ca2+ and effect cell migration” FASEB Journal, v.34, pp. 12565-12576 (2020) DOI: 10.1101/2020.03.24.004739
  • C.D. Heer, D.J. Sanderson, L.S. Voth, Y M.O. Alhammad, M.S. Schmit, S.A.J. Trammell, S. Perlan, M.S. Cohen, A.R. Fehr & C. Brenner “Coronavirus infection and PARP expression dysregulate the NAD Metabolome: an actionable component of innate immunity” Journal of Biological Chemistry, v. 295, pp. 17986-17996 (2020) DOI:10.1074/jbc.RA120.015138
For a full list of Dr. Brenner’s publications visit here.