I administer two research grant portfolios, one on signaling and nutrient sensing, which is aimed at elucidating signaling pathways that regulate cellular responses to insulin and other hormones/factors or that reveal the role of nutrient sensing signaling pathways in the development and/or progression of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic diseases. Studies involve the identification of regulators, interacting partners, and substrates to elucidate modes of signal transmission, including circadian regulation, that impact physiological systems and result in metabolic dysfunction.
The other portfolio focuses on the role of the intrauterine environment in metabolic disease of the offspring. The Obesity, Pregnancy, and the Intrauterine Environment program includes both basic and translational studies that investigate the mechanisms by which the intrauterine environment alters metabolic responses in the offspring. A particular focus is on the role maternal diet plays in the development of pathophysiological consequences in offspring, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Research in this area is aimed at elucidating the signals that mediate these long-term effects including, but not limited to, intracellular signaling pathways, inflammatory cytokines, nutrient sensing pathways, and epigenetic imprinting. The ultimate goal is to identify molecular targets that could be therapeutically altered to prevent or alleviate obesity and type 2 diabetes.
In addition to the portfolios, I oversee the Nuclear Receptor Signaling Atlas Consortium.