Affiliations
Research Associate, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Education
B.S., Biological Sciences, UCSal (Brazil)
M.Sc., Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Fiocruz (Brazil)
Ph.D., Cell Biology, UFMG (Brazil)
Laboratory Of
Dr. Guillaume de Lartigue
Research Summary
I am a scientist with expertise in body–brain physiology, interested in understanding how the brain interprets internal physiological signals to regulate metabolism and feeding behavior.
How does the brain know what the body has just eaten?
My research addresses this question by studying vagal sensory neurons, the primary neural interface through which peripheral organs communicate metabolic and nutrient-related information to the brain.
I investigate how these neurons detect signals generated by macronutrient ingestion and gut microbiota and translate them into neural activity that shapes feeding behavior and metabolic regulation. Using advanced neural circuit manipulations and in vivo calcium imaging, I dissect the molecular and functional organization of vagal sensory pathways and their downstream brainstem circuits.
A central focus of my work is the gut– and liver–brain vagal axis. My research examines how sensory signals arising from the gut and liver are integrated by vagal pathways to convey metabolic state to the brain. My current work focuses particularly on hepatic sensory circuits and how dysfunction in this pathway contributes to metabolic disease. By uncovering the sensory logic of gut- and liver-to-brain communication, my research seeks to reveal new neural mechanisms underlying metabolic homeostasis.
Keywords
vagus nerve, in vivo imaging, nodose ganglia, gut-brain axis, neurobiology of feeding, lateral asymmetry
Representative Publications
Yang M*, de Araujo A*, Shakir J, Braga I, Mendez-Hernandez R, Tofani GSS, Bali A, de Lartigue J, Song H, McCutcheon JE, Morrison CD, and de Lartigue G. Vagal Sensory Neurons Encode Internal Protein Status to Guide Eating. Molecular Metabolism. 2025 Dec. PMID: 41412282. *Co-first author.
Xu J*, de Araujo AM*, Xi R, Luo K, Han M, Lin X, Lu C, Zhou M, Hankenson KD, Margolskee RF, Matsumoto I, de Lartigue G, Choi M, Jiang P. Gustatory-neuron-supplied R-spondin-2 is required for taste bud replenishment. Stem Cell Reports. 2025 Jul. PMID: 40541175. *Co-first author.
McDougle M, de Araujo A, Singh A, Yang M, Braga I, Paille V, Mendez-Hernandez R, Vergara M, Woodie LN, Gour A, Sharma A, Urs N, Warren B, de Lartigue G. Separate gut-brain circuits for fat and sugar reinforcement combine to promote overeating. Cell Metabolism. 2024 Feb. PMID: 38242133.
Cox TO, Devason AS, de Araujo A, Mason S, Subramanian M, Salvador AF, Descamps HC, Kim J, Zhu Y, Litichevskiy L, Jung S, Song W, Cortés-Martín A, Henderson NT, Huang K-P, Nguyen T, Sae-Lee W, Umana IC, Sacta M, Rahman RJ, Wisser S, Nelson JAD, Golynker I, Dohnalová L, McSween AM, Hohmann EF, Patel S, Bub AL, Soekler C, Hoxha K, Boccia L, Wong AC, Bahnsen K, Kim J, Blank N, Abbasian D, Shoffler C, Petucci C, McAllister FE, Alhadeff AL, Fuccillo MV, Hill C, Jang C, Betley JN, de Lartigue G, Lee VY-M, Levy M*, Thaiss CA*. Intestinal interoceptive dysfunction drives age-associated cognitive decline. Nature. 2026.
Woodie LN, Melink LC, Midha M, de Araujo AM, Geisler CE, Alberto AJ, Krusen BM, Zundell DM, de Lartigue G, Hayes MR, Lazar MA. Hepatic vagal afferents convey clock-dependent signals to regulate circadian food intake. Science. 2024 Nov 8. PMID: 39509517.
Brito CF, Fonseca RC, Rodrigues-Ribeiro L, Guimarães JSF, Vaz BF, Tofani GSS, Batista ACS, Diniz AB, Fernandes P, Nunes NAM, Pessoa RM, Oliveira ACC, Lula IS, Cardoso VN, Fernandes SOA, Poletini MO, Alvarez-Leite JI, Menezes GB, Ferreira AVM, Magalhães MTQ, Gorshkov V, Kjeldsen F, Verano-Braga T, de Araujo AM*, Oliveira AG*. Vagus Nerve Mediated Liver-Brain Axis Is a Major Regulator of the Metabolic Landscape in the Liver. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025 Feb 28. PMID: 40076796. *Co-last author.
