Understanding The Metabolic Consequences Of Impaired AMPKa2 And NNOS� In Skeletal Muscle: Implications For The Metabolic Syndrome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$575,527.00
Summary
The inability of muscle to utilise sugar from the blood is a major problem that contributes to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Since the number of people with these diseases will at least double by 2030, we need to find out what causes this problem. We will examine whether two muscle proteins that are impaired in obesity and Type 2 diabetes are also responsible for impaired sugar utilisation. We think that increasing these muscle proteins will fix the _sugar problem�, and remedy these diseases.
Age-Related Changes In Body Composition And Fuel Metabolism: The Role Of Glucocorticoid Signalling In Osteoblasts
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$820,528.00
Summary
Our previous studies suggest that age related changes in fat tissue could be due to an increased level of glucocorticoids within bone forming cells (osteoblasts). Mice in which the level of glucocorticoids in osteoblasts is selectively decreased were no different from normal mice at a young age but with ageing were protected against development of obesity and diabetes. This project will examine how bone influences age related changes in fat mass and examine ways in which this might be prevented.
Exploring Neurological Complications In Animal Models Of Metabolic Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$337,432.00
Summary
Diabetes causes ongoing damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems. Our research aims to understand the mechanisms of nervous system damage in diabetes by investigating changes in nervous system function overtime in animal models of pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes. This study specifically aims to utilize indices that can be correlated with measures obtainable in human studies and thereby achieve results with strong clinical relevance and potential for translation.
Sphingosine Kinase: A Target For Obesity-induced Insulin Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$626,845.00
Summary
Insulin resistance, a characteristic of type 2 diabetes, is linked to abnormal metabolism of lipid (fat) in tissues such as liver and muscle. This project aims to identify a novel pathway which may promote a build up of lipids in liver and therefore leads to the development of type 2 diabetes. This work may provide a basis for understanding and optimizing treatment of insulin resistance by regulating the control of fat metabolism in liver.
Blocking IL-6 Trans-signaling: A Therapeutic Strategy To Prevent Metabolic Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,636.00
Summary
It is well known that blocking the recruitment of specific immune cells namely macrophages to adipose tissue of obese patients will improve their metabolic health. However, to date, a viable drug to do this has remained elusive. We have developed such a drug called sgp130Fc. This project will test the effectiveness of this drug in a pre-clinical setting.
I am a cell /whole body integrative biologist determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to insulin resistance in insulin sensitive tissues such as skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissue. My work primarily focuses on targeting inflammatory signalling cascades that lead to impaired insulin action, and pathways that enhance energy utilization.
Examining the links between obesity and insulin resistance. Obesity prevalence is rapidly increasing in Australia and contributes to the onset of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This project will examine how obesity contributes to disease risk and how modifying nutrient delivery and other interventions that protect from cellular stress reduces these risks.
How Does Paternal Obesity Influence Offspring Glucose Tolerance?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$503,398.00
Summary
Obesity and diabetes are closely related to these conditions in either parent, but how the father contributes is unclear. We have shown that normal females mated with obese fathers consuming high fat diet, produce offspring who develop glucose intolerance and impaired insulin secretion. This work will examine the mechanisms underlying this effect in the rat, testing a novel role for environmental factors in the father on disease in offspring that may be relevant to the growing obesity epidemic.
The CDP Ethanolamine Pathway: A New Player In Obesity Induced Insulin Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$652,372.00
Summary
Insulin resistance, a characteristic of type 2 diabetes, is linked to abnormal metabolism of lipid (fat) in tissues such as liver and muscle. This project aims to identify a novel pathway which may promote a build up of lipids in muscle and therefore leads to the development of type 2 diabetes. This work may provide a basis for understanding and optimizing treatment of insulin resistance by regulating the control of fat metabolism in muscle.