Claire de La Serre

Education

Research

Dr. de La Serre research centers on the understanding and alleviation of diet-induced chronic diseases, in particular the development and prevention of obesity. Her studies have focused on the role of gastrointestinal (GI) tract post-ingestive cues in overeating. Her laboratory uses animal models, including germ-free rodents, to investigate the pathways by which chronic consumption of energy-dense palatable food promotes overeating. Current studies examine diet-induced dysregulation of gut-brain communication and the role of the gut microbiota. For more information, see the Gastrointestinal Neurophysiology Laboratory.

Teaching

FDNS 2100E: Human Nutrition and Food

FDNS 4590/6590: Metabolism and Physiology of Food Intake, Energy Balance and Obesity

FDNS 8900: Seminar in Foods and Nutrition

Prior Professional Positions

Awards

Editorial Appointments

Service

Outreach

Dr. de La Serre is the seminar director for the department. She currently serves on the Graduate Committee and the Berdanier Undergraduate Research Award & CURO Committee.

Areas of Expertise

Microbiota, Inflammation, Gut-brain signaling, Feeding behavior, Satiety

Books

Book chapters

Laye S and de La Serre C. Neuroinflammation et obésité, Traité pratique de médecine des obésités, (2021)

Barbier de La Serre, C and Moran TH. Cholecystokinin and Satiety, Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides, Second Edition, Abba J. Kastin (ed), Elsevier – Academic Press, Amsterdam (2013)

Current Research

Current research projects include:

• Mechanisms of diet-driven vagal remodeling on gut-brain feeding behavior, focus on microbiota and microglia
• Neuronal toxicity of bacterial products in energy-dense diet-induced obesity
• Influence of microbiota composition on reward pathways and hedonic eating
• Microbiota composition and cognitive functions

Dr. de La Serre is currently accepting new graduate students

Journal Articles

 *denotes UGA graduate student

Cawthon CR^*, de La Serre CB. CCK, regulation of food intake and diet-induced obesity. Peptides (2021)

Cawthon CR^*, Kirkland RA, Pandya S, Brinson NA, de La Serre CB. Non-neuronal crosstalk promotes an inflammatory response in nodose ganglia cultures after exposure to byproducts from gram positive, high-fat-diet-associated gut bacteria. Physiology and Behavior (2020)

Kim JS^*, Kirkland RA, Lee SH^*, Cawthon CR^*, Rzepka KW, Minaya DM, de Lartigue G, Czaja K, de La Serre CB. Gut microbiota composition modulates inflammation and structure of the vagal afferent pathway. Physiology and Behavior (2020)

McDougle M, Quinn D, Diepenbroek C, Singh A, de la Serre C, de Lartigue G. Intact vagal gut-brain signalling prevents hyperphagia and excessive weight gain in response to high-fat high-sugar diet. Acta physiologica (2020)

Singh A, de la Serre C, de Lartigue G. Gut microbiota sPARk vagus nerve excitation. The Journal of physiology (2020) 

Klingbeil EA^*, Cawthon C^*, Kirkland R, de La Serre CB. Potato-resistant starch supplementation improves microbiota dysbiosis, inflammation, and gut-brain signaling in high fat-fed rats. Nutrients (2019)

Lee SH^*, Kirkland R, Grunewald ZI^*, Sun Q, Wicker L, de La Serre CB. Beneficial effects of non-encapsulated or encapsulated probiotic supplementation on microbiota composition, intestinal barrier functions, inflammatory profiles, and glucose tolerance in high fat fed rats. Nutrients (2019)

Grunewald ZI^*, Kirkland R, Lee SH^*, Ross M, de La Serre CB. Cannabinoid receptor type-1 partially mediates metabolic endotoxemia-induced inflammation and insulin resistance. Physiology and Behavior (2019)

Klingbeil E^*, de La Serre CB. Microbiota modulation by eating patterns, dietary and macronutrient composition; impact on food intake. American Journal of Physiology -Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology (2018)

Kim J*, de La Serre CB. Diet, gut microbiota composition and feeding behavior. Physiology and Behavior (2018)

Cawthon C*, de La Serre CB. Gut bacteria interaction with vagal afferents. Brain Research (2018)

Lee SH*, Keirsey K, Kirkland R, Grunewald ZI*, Fischer JG, de La Serre CB. Blueberry supplementation improves gut microbiota, inflammatory profile and insulin signaling in high fat fed rats. The Journal of Nutrition (2018)

Pati S, Krishna S, Lee JH, Ross MK, de La Serre CB, Harn DH, Wagner JJ, Filipov  NM, Cummings BS. Effects of high-fat diet and age on the blood lipidome and circulating endocannabinoids of female C57BL/6 mice. BBA - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids (2018)

Sen T, Cawthon C*, Ihde BT, Gawey BJ, Ahmed M, Long JA, Kirkland R, Hajnald A, DiLorenzo PM, de La Serre CB, Czaja K. Diet-driven microbiota dysbiosis is associated with vagal remodeling and obesity, Physiology and Behavior (2017)

Vaughn AC, Cooper EM, DiLorenzo PM, O'Loughlin LJ, Konkel ME, Peters JH, Hajnal A, Sen T, Lee SH*, de La Serre CB, Czaja K. Minocycline’s effects on diet-induced changes in gut microbiota and reorganization of gut-brain vagal communication, Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis (2017)

Li L, de La Serre CB, Zhang N, Hong L, Bi S. Dorsomedial hypothalamic neuropeptide Y modulate hepatic insulin sensitivity and glucose, Endocrinology(2016)  

de La Serre CB, Kim YJ, Moran TH, Bi S. Dorsomedial hypothalamic NPY affects cholecystokinin-induced satiety via modulation of brainstem catecholamine neuronal signaling, American Journal of Physiology --Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology (2016)

Krishna S, Lin Z, de La Serre CB, Wagner JJ, Harn DH, Pepples LM, Djani DM, Weber MT, Srivastava L, Filipov NM. Time-dependent behavioral, neurochemical, and metabolic dysregulation in female C57BL/6 mice caused by chronic high-fat diet intake. Physiology and Behavior (2016)

Brown J*, Gregory C, de La Serre CB, Magnan N. Summer garden programs improve children’s food knowledge and preferences: evidence using stated and revealed preference measures. HortTechnology (2016)

Lee SH*, de La Serre CB. Gut microbiome-brain communications regulate host physiology and behavior the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Science (2015)

Dollé L, de La Serre CB, and van Grunsven LA. Are dietary emulsifiers making us fat? Journal of hepatology (2015)

Krishna S, Keralapuratha MM, Lina Z, Wagner JJ, de La Serre CB, Harn DA, Filipov NM. Neurochemical and electrophysiological deficits in the ventral hippocampus and selective behavioral alterations caused by high-fat diet in female C57BL/6 mice. Neurosciences (2015)

de La Serre CB, de Lartigue G, Raybould HE. Chronic exposure to low dose bacterial lipopolysaccharide inhibits leptin signaling in vagal afferent neurons. Physiology and Behavior (2015)

de Lartigue G, Barbier de la Serre C, Espero E, Lee J, Raybould HE, Leptin resistance in vagal afferent neurons inhibits cholecystokinin signaling and satiation in diet induced obese rats. PLoS ONE (2012)

de Lartigue G, de La Serre CB, Raybould HE. Vagal afferent neurons in high fat diet-induced obesity; intestinal microflora, gut inflammation and cholecystokinin. Physiology and Behavior (2011)

de Lartigue G, Barbier de La Serre C, Espero E, Lee J, Raybould, HE. Diet-induced obesity leads to the development of leptin resistance in vagal afferent neurons. American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism (2011).

de La Serre CB, Ellis CL, Lee J, Hartman AL, Rutledge JC, Raybould HE. Propensity to high fat diet-induced obesity in rats is associated with changes in the gut microbiota and gut inflammation. American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology (2010). Selected for highlights in Physiology 2010, no. 5

de Lartigue G, Dimaline R, Varro A, Raybould H, de La Serre CB, Dockray GJ. Cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript mediates the actions of cholecystokinin on rat vagal afferent neurons. Gastroenterology (2010)

Paulino G, Barbier de La Serre C, Knotts T, Oort PJ, Newman J, Adams S, et al. Increased expression of receptors for orexigenic factors in nodose ganglion of diet-induced obese rats. American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism (2009)