Positions
- Associate Professor
-
Pediatrics-Nutrition
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX, US
Addresses
- TCH- Clinical Care Center (Clinic) (Clinic)
-
6701 Fannin St.
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (832) 822-3670
Education
- MD from Indiana University School of Medicine
- 05/2005 - Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
- Residency at Indiana University School of Medicine
- 06/2008 - Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
- Clinical Fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
- 06/2008 - Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Postdoctoral Fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
- 12/2012 - Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Certifications
- Pediatrics
- American Board of Pediatrics
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- American Board of Pediatrics
- Obesity Medicine Certification
- American Board of Obesity Medicine
Honors & Awards
- Associate Program Director
- I was the APD for the pediatric endocrinology fellowship for 3.5 years. As a part of that, I developed a Team-Based learning curriculum which was well received by the fellows.
- Pediatric Endocrine Fellowship (06/2016 - 12/2020)
Professional Interests
- Obesity
- Genetics of Obesity
Professional Statement
As a pediatric endocrinologist, I am well trained in the medical management of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although I have observed vastly different clinical phenotypes of obesity, I am unable as a clinician to effectively treat these patients with the current medical therapies. Thus, I am highly motivated to increase medical knowledge on the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes and translate it into more clinically effective therapies, specifically for the pediatric population. My research has shown an important effect of vitamin D directly in the brain to lower blood sugar levels. Additionally, we have shown that loss of the vitamin D receptor in the brain impairs glucose tolerance. We have also developed a new mouse model to identify vitamin D receptor positive cells.
In clinical research, I have been the site PI for multiple multi-center studies, including Phase 1-3 trials. I served as the site PI for the NIH-funded Teen-LABS study investigating the effects of bariatric surgery in adolescents, pharmaceutical trials funded by Rhythm Pharmaceuticals investigating the effectiveness of setmelanotide to lower body weight in different genetic forms of obesity, and pharmaceutical trials funded by Eli Lilly & Co. evaluating obesity treatments in children.
From a clinical standpoint, I am the Medical Director of the Genetic Disorders of Obesity Program at Texas Children's Hospital. Together with my pediatric genetic colleagues, we evaluate the cause of severe weight gain that occurs prior to age 5 years old. We have performed qualitative research with parents of these children that shows these parents face significant barriers within their own family as well as from the medical community as they try to care for their children. Additionally, we are currently building a registry and plan to perform translational studies in the future.
In clinical research, I have been the site PI for multiple multi-center studies, including Phase 1-3 trials. I served as the site PI for the NIH-funded Teen-LABS study investigating the effects of bariatric surgery in adolescents, pharmaceutical trials funded by Rhythm Pharmaceuticals investigating the effectiveness of setmelanotide to lower body weight in different genetic forms of obesity, and pharmaceutical trials funded by Eli Lilly & Co. evaluating obesity treatments in children.
From a clinical standpoint, I am the Medical Director of the Genetic Disorders of Obesity Program at Texas Children's Hospital. Together with my pediatric genetic colleagues, we evaluate the cause of severe weight gain that occurs prior to age 5 years old. We have performed qualitative research with parents of these children that shows these parents face significant barriers within their own family as well as from the medical community as they try to care for their children. Additionally, we are currently building a registry and plan to perform translational studies in the future.
Selected Publications
-
Sisley SR, Arble DM, Chambers AP, Gutierrez-Aguilar R, He Y, Xu Y, Gardner D, Moore DD, Seeley RJ, Sandoval DA. " Hypothalamic Vitamin D Improves Glucose Homeostasis and Reduces Weight " Diabetes. 2016 ;
Pubmed PMID: 27217488. -
Hailan Liu, Yang He, Jessie Beck, Silvania da Silva Teixeira, Keisha Harrison, Yong Xu, Stephanie Sisley. " Defining vitamin D receptor expression in the brain using a novel VDR Cre mouse " J Comp Neuro. 2021 Jun ;
Pubmed PMID: 33368246. -
Athanassaki I, Lyons S, DeSalvo D, Hendrix K, Ebenezer S, McCann-Crosby B, Redondo M, Chen MJ, Uysal S, Sisley S. " Diabetes Curriculum for Pediatric Endocrine Fellowship Utilizing Modified Team-Based Learning " MEDEDPORTAL. 2020 Aug ;
Pubmed PMID: 32821810. -
da Silva Teixeira S, Harrison K, Uzodike M, Rajapakshe K, Coarfa C, He Y, Xu Y, Sisley S. " Vitamin D actions in neurons require the PI3K pathway for both enhancing insulin signaling and rapid depolarizing effects " J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2020 Jun ;
Pubmed PMID: 32408067.
Projects
- Brain VDR Regulate Glucose Balance
- NIH (04/2022 - present)
- Houston, TX
- We are investigating the role of the vitamin D receptor in weight and glucose regulation. This includes the use of genetic mouse models as well as investigations of the interaction of diet with vitamin D receptor action.
- Genetic Disorders of Obesity Program Registry and Biobank
- (04/2021 - present)
- As a part of my clinical interest in uncovering genetic forms of weight gain in children, we are collecting information on all children who come into the GDOP clinic. We hope to use this information to determine better strategies for identifying children who would benefit from genetic testing, how children respond to therapies, and how to better support parents. We are also collecting cheek swabs of children and their parents for genetic analysis by future studies.
- Houston Nutrition Obesity Research Center (HNORC) – Clinical and Translational Obesity Research Core
- NIH (09/2025 - present)
- Houston, TX
- The Clinical and Translational Obesity Research Core (CTORC) will leverage and significantly expand existing resources to provide HNORC members access to relevant human biospecimens as well as providing infrastructure to enhance the transparency of research across our institutions.
- Genetic Underpinnings of Rare Disease
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation (08/2025 - present)
- Houston, TX
- The goal of this project is to streamline the engagement of critical rare-disease families in a clinical setting and speed the identification of the genetic underpinnings of their underlying conditions.
- Determine the impact of Digenic Heterozygous Ciliary gene loss on ciliary structure, function, and weight regulation
- USDA (10/2024 - present)
- Houston, TX
- The goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that digenic heterozygous loss of the ciliary genes Alms1 and Bbs4 causes a fundamental defect in ciliary function and results in obesity.
Memberships
- American Association of Pediatrics
- Pediatric Endocrine Society
- Member (06/2009)
- Endocrine Society
- Member (09/2011)
Funding
-
Brain Signaling, Metabolism, and Obesity
- (02/01/2013)
- Grant funding from USDA
- This grant studies the effect of the vitamin D receptor in the ventromedial hypothalamus of the brain on diabetes and weight.
-
Brain VDR Regulate Glucose Balance
#1 R01 DK128117-01A1 - (04/05/2022 - 03/31/2027)
- Grant funding from NIH-NIDDK
- The proposed research is relevant to public health because low vitamin D levels are associated with multiple diseases including diabetes and hypertension. Additional studies are needed to understand how vitamin D receptors in the brain control glucose. The results from this project will provide fundamental knowledge needed for the development of potentially novel strategies to improve the care of diabetes.
Log In to edit your profile