Mark Goodarzi, MD, PhD Associate Director, Endocrinology/Metabolism Site Director, Endocrine Fellowship Program
Email: mark.goodarzi@cshs.org Phone: (310) 424-4774 Fax: (310) 423-0440

Institute Affiliation

Academic Appointments

Awards and Activities

Research Focus

ENDOCRINE GENETICS LABORATORY: The laboratory seeks to elucidate the genetic determinants of insulin resistance and related conditions, using a population genetic approach. Particular areas of interest include insulin resistance and clearance and atherosclerosis in Hispanics and polycystic ovary syndrome. Technologies used include high-throughput genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms and other genetic markers. These markers are then analyzed for association with traits of interest. Positive results are followed by sequencing in critical gene regions to identify mutations that may be responsible for disease. Another research effort is the phenotyping of insulin resistance by physiologic infusion studies.

Research Contributions

Discovery of genes involved in insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, subclinical atherosclerosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Reported that processes whereby insulin is removed from the circulation are highly determined by genetic factors.

Current investigations include:

Ongoing investigation of genetic factors in polycystic ovary syndrome, particularly genes involved in adrenal androgen excess and response to metformin therapy. Investigating role of energy-related genes in insulin clearance. Search for genetic factors affecting the insulin system and subclinical atherosclerosis in Hispanic and other populations.

Selected Publications

1. Shah NA, Antoine HJ, Pall M, Taylor KD, Azziz R, Goodarzi MO: Association of androgen receptor CAG repeat polymorphism and polycystic ovary syndrome. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 93(5): 1939-45, 2008
2. Goodarzi MO: Looking for polycystic ovary syndrome genes: rational and best strategy. Semin. Reprod. Med., 26(1): 5-13, 2008
3. Goodarzi MO, Lehman DM, Taylor KD, Guo X, Cui J, Quiñones MJ, Clee SM, Yandell BS, Blangero J, Hsueh WA, Attie AD, Stern MP, Rotter JI: SORCS1: a novel human type 2 diabetes susceptibility gene suggested by the mouse. Diabetes, 56(7): 1922-9, 2007
4. Goodarzi MO, Shah NA, Antoine HJ, Pall M, Guo X, Azziz R: Variants in the 5alpha-reductase type 1 and type 2 genes are associated with polycystic ovary syndrome and the severity of hirsutism in affected women. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 91(10): 4085-91, 2006
5. Goodarzi MO, Taylor KD, Guo X, Quiñones MJ, Cui J, Li X, Hang T, Yang H, Holmes E, Hsueh WA, Olefsky J, Rotter JI: Variation in the gene for muscle-specific AMP deaminase is associated with insulin clearance, a highly heritable trait. Diabetes, 54(4): 1222-7, 2005
6. Goodarzi MO, Guo X, Taylor KD, Quiñones MJ, Saad MF, Yang H, Hsueh WA, Rotter JI: Lipoprotein lipase is a gene for insulin resistance in Mexican Americans. Diabetes, 53(1): 214-20, 2004