Dr. Carolyn Ecelbarger

PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Renal Physiologist

Expertise:

Renal Physiology

Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)

Insulin Regulation

Kidney Disease

Metabolic Syndrome

Nutritional Sciences

About

Dr. Carolyn Ecelbarger is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University and a leading researcher in renal physiology. She has focused on the regulation of the kidney by insulin and in altered metabolic states such as obesity and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes for over 20 years.
Dr. Ecelbarger has been funded as a Principal Investigator by the NIH (K01, R01, R21 mechanisms), the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the National Kidney Foundation, and by industry. She leads the Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology section at Frontiers in Physiology.
Her laboratory conducts whole animal studies, measures blood pressure by radiotelemetry, assesses metabolic parameters, and determines protein and RNA expression in the kidney. She has generated mouse lines with renal-cell-specific knockouts for insulin receptor, IGF receptor, mTOR, and microRNA 451.

Education

Dr. Ecelbarger received her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992. She trained as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda under Dr. Mark Knepper. She started her own laboratory at Georgetown University in 1998 and completed a 2013 sabbatical at the NIH for training in deep sequencing and transcriptomics.

Professional Accomplishments

Current Role: Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University; member of the Center for the Study of Sex Differences in Health, Aging & Disease.

Research Leadership: Leads Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology section at Frontiers in Physiology.

Funding: NIH-funded Principal Investigator (K01, R01, R21); funded by ADA, AHA, NKF, and industry.

Research Contributions: Generated mouse lines with renal-cell-specific knockouts; pioneered transcriptomics approaches in renal research.

Our Medical Review Process

At Ben’s Natural Health, we are dedicated to providing content that is accurate, transparent, and grounded in science. Each article is written by medical professionals and undergoes a thorough review process every 12 to 24 months. This ensures our information remains current, reliable, and aligned with the latest scientific research. We exclusively rely on peer-reviewed studies from trusted medical journals, and every article includes detailed citations and direct links for easy verification. To learn more about how we ensure the quality and credibility of our content, visit our medical review process.

Our Editorial Guidelines

For over 25 years, Ben’s Natural Health has been a trusted provider of evidence-based health information. Our editorial guidelines are designed to maintain the highest standards of accuracy, integrity, and credibility. Articles are written by a team of accredited professionals, including doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, fitness experts, and surgeons, and are independently reviewed for precision. Each piece of content highlights the qualifications and expertise of the contributing professionals, ensuring full transparency. To learn more about how we create and review content, read our editorial guidelines.