Marc Hellerstein

Marc K. Hellerstein is an American physician-scientist[1] and professor of human nutrition, metabolism, and medicine.[2] He is Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of California, Berkeley,[3] where he has occupied two Endowed Chairs Doris Calloway Chair and Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Chair.[4] He is also Professor of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition in the Department of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. His research focuses on the quantitative measurement of metabolic fluxes in vivo as biomarkers for human health, disease, and translational medicine.[5]

Biography and career

Hellerstein graduated from Brandeis University as Valedictorian (Louis B. Brandeis scholar of the School of Science),[6] received his medical degree from Yale School of Medicine and completed a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).[7] He subsequently trained in internal medicine and in endocrinology and metabolism and is ABIM Board certified in Internal Medicine and in Endocrinology and Medicine.[8]

Hellerstein moved to the San Francisco Bay Area approximately four decades ago to pursue medical research, teaching and clinical practice. At UCSF, he is Professor of Medicine and Nutrition, Endocrinology and Metabolism and directed the diabetes clinic at San Francisco General Hospital for approximately 25 years.[9] In parallel, he has served as Professor of Human Nutrition on the faculty at UC Berkeley, where he became a leading figure in the Department of Metabolic Biology and Nutrition.[10]

In addition to his academic appointments, Hellerstein has served on editorial boards of scientific journals and as an advisor to organizations including NASA[11] and the Office of AIDS Research, National Institutes of Health.[12]

Hellerstein was a co-founder with David Fineman of KineMed, Inc., Emeryville, CA (2001–2016), a biotechnology company focused on metabolic biomarkers for drug development and diagnostics.[13]

He served as Chief of Scientific Advisory Board and President.[14] In 2023, he co-founded with William Evans Ph.D. Myo Corps, Inc., Raleigh N.C., a company developing diagnostic approaches related to muscle mass and metabolism, where he serves as president and chairman of the board.[15]   

In 2017, Hellerstein started the Hellerstein Foundation as an artist support-centered public charity in the Bay Area.[16]

Research

Hellerstein's research focuses on quantifying metabolic fluxes in vivo as biomarkers for human health and disease.[17] He pioneered the use of stable isotope tracers with mass spectrometry and mathematical modeling to measure metabolic processes that were previously inaccessible, including the measurement of protein turnover, lipid synthesis, cell proliferation, and organ-specific fluxes non-invasively (“virtual biopsies”).[18]

Methodological innovations from his laboratory include Mass Isotopomer Distribution Analysis (MIDA), heavy water (²H₂O) labeling of proteins, including flux proteomics,  and labeling of DNA for cell proliferation, as well as global metabolic fluxomics.[19]

He has published over 350 papers, holds 80 U.S. and international patents, and is a fellow of the American Society of Clinical Investigation.[20]

His 2019 Nature paper on long-lived T-cell memory was named Society of Vaccinology Paper of the Year, and during the COVID-19 pandemic[21] he emphasized the importance of evaluating cellular immunity alongside antibodies for vaccine effectiveness.[22]

References

  1. ^ Seligman, Katherine. "Iron Will Can a diet of a quarter fewer calories than a body needs lead Boomers to that ever elusive fountain of youth?". SFGate.
  2. ^ Platoni, Kara (2006-01-18). "Live, Fast, Die Old Cal biochemist Marc Hellerstein believes intermittent fasting may delay or prevent cancer and other diseases of old age". East Bay Express | Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  3. ^ Chai, Christine. "Fasting Every Other Day, While Cutting Few Calories, May Reduce Cancer Risk". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  4. ^ Volkman, Loy. "Confronting the Challenge of Complexity- in vivo veritas On Saturday November 11, 2006 Professor Marc Hellerstein gave a talk to" (PDF). Berkley Emeriti Times.
  5. ^ "Metabolic alterations in vivo". Citrin Foundation. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  6. ^ Rubin, Sharon Hammer. "Class of 1974". Brandeis Magazine. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  7. ^ "Keynote speakers – Dutch Translational Metabolism Conference Marc Hellerstein (University of California Berkeley). Dr. Hellerstein is Professor of Human Nutrition". Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  8. ^ "Marc Hellerstein Who studies metabolic regulation these days - the flow of metabolites through competing pathways in complex biological networks, the anabolic and catabolic processes that determine tissue composition,". mbn.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  9. ^ HOSTING.YH2. "Speakers Hellerstein is Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of California, Berkeley, where he occupies an Endowed Chair (Dr. Robert C. and Veronica". Citrin Foundation Global Symposium 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Roan, Shari (2009-02-02). "RUNNING ON EMPTY Dr. Marc Hellerstein, a professor of endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition at UC Berkeley, who studies fasting". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  11. ^ "2013 Nutrition Risk Standing Review PanelEvidence Review for: The Risk Factor of Inadequate Nutrition Final Report" (PDF). NASA.
  12. ^ Israel, Brett (2017-12-13). "Researchers discover how cells remember infections decades later". Berkeley News. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  13. ^ Margolis, Vicki Seyfert- (2010-11-02). "KineMed's SAB Chief and Co-Founder Marc K. Hellerstein, M.D., Ph.D., will be a Panelist on the FDA-Chaired Global Leaders | Fierce Pharma". www.fiercepharma.com. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  14. ^ Nachrichten, Finanz. "KineMed Announces Biomarker Discovery Collaboration with GSK". firstwordpharma.com. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  15. ^ "Myo Corps | Intellectual Property & Industry Research Alliances". ipira.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  16. ^ Yelimeli, Supriya (2018-08-28). "After Ghost Ship fire, an artist hub opens in old Berkeley grocery store". Berkeleyside. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  17. ^ Hellerstein, Marc K. (2003). "In vivo measurement of fluxes through metabolic pathways: the missing link in functional genomics and pharmaceutical research". Annual Review of Nutrition. 23: 379–402. doi:10.1146/annurev.nutr.23.011702.073045. ISSN 0199-9885. PMID 12704218.
  18. ^ Atherton, Philip; Brook, Matthew; Smith, Ken; Wilkinson, Daniel. "Stable isotope tracers in muscle physiology research". The Physiological Society. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  19. ^ Hellerstein, M. K.; Neese, R. A. (1992). "Mass isotopomer distribution analysis: a technique for measuring biosynthesis and turnover of polymers". The American Journal of Physiology. 263 (5 Pt 1): E988–1001. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.1992.263.5.E988. ISSN 0002-9513. PMID 1443132.
  20. ^ "Home". The American Society for Clinical Investigation. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  21. ^ "Science is winning, but can it score more victories?". Los Angeles Times. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  22. ^ Sanders, Robert. "For an effective COVID vaccine, look beyond antibodies to T-cells | Research UC Berkeley". vcresearch.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
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