Our Team

About

Research Interests:

Dr. Marini’s research is focused on urea cycle intermediates and their role in supporting ureagenesis and nitric oxide production. Current studies are aimed at increasing our understanding of how the supply of urea cycle intermediates help overcome reduced enzymatic activity found in urea cycle disorder models. We are also investigating the role of genetic background and interorgan transactions of urea cycle intermediates in ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency murine models. In this hypomorphic model, we have shown that the exogenous supply of ornithine is able to restore ureagenesis and mitigate hyperammonemia in C57 mice. However, due to an increase in endogenous ornithine production, mice of different genetic backgrounds harboring the same mutation do not become hyperammonemic.

We are also investigating the role of arginine and intracellular citrulline recycling in sustaining nitric oxide production during basal conditions and LPS challenge in different mouse models. The combination of mouse genetic models and the determination of metabolite fluxes utilizing minimally invasive techniques offers the possibility to study complex pathways and interorgan transaction at the whole organism level in conscious animals.