Assistant Professor 

Diabetes and Program in Molecular Medicine 

Investigator, Breakthrough T1D New England Center of Excellence  

Dr. Accalia Fu established her lab at the Diabetes Center at UMass Chan Medical School in October 2022 and is a faculty member in the Program in Molecular Medicine. She earned an Honors Bachelor of Science in Biology-Biotechnology and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa in Canada. Her PhD research, conducted in Dr. Rob Screaton’s lab, elucidated the role of the metabolic sensor kinase LKB1 and members of the AMPK kinase family in pancreatic β-cell function and growth.

During her postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Dr. Nika Danial’s lab, she identified key molecular routes of glucose metabolism that enhance β-cell survival, including arginine partitioning into the urea cycle and de novo glutathione synthesis. Her work has been recognized with prestigious fellowships from the Canadian Diabetes Association and Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

Dr. Fu is passionate about mentoring future scientists and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for trainees, encouraging curiosity and resilience in both research and personal development.

BA in Biology, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA (2023)

My research focuses on understanding the role of macrophages within islets in health and diabetes, using imaging approaches and spatial techniques. One of my favorite things about biology is that there is always more to discover, and we learn something new every day. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, baking and hiking.

BS in Molecular & Cellular Biology, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

I am interested in how molecular metabolism integrates signals that influence mitochondrial structure and function, and the fundamental roles these play in pancreatic islet biology and biochemistry. I am also testing how molecular metabolism impacts the interactions between beta cells and other cells within islets, like macrophages. In my free time, I enjoy reading fiction, painting, and baking.

BS in Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA (2022)

I am the islet isolation and in vivo guru in the lab. I have also helped optimize metabolic tracing protocols for metabolomics assays in human donor islets. My favorite thing about science is the opportunity to see and deal with microscopic life every day that most people do not get to see.

BA in Biology, Bates College, Lewiston, ME (2019)

I am working on Arginase II’s role in pancreatic beta cells, and testing whether it is a viable target in diabetes, and then identifying its potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms. When not in the lab, I enjoy reading fantasy series and golfing on the weekends.