Accelerating new treatments for obesity and diabetes with new ways to measure gut hormones (360G-IHC-RFPR2021_23)

Bariatric or weight-loss surgery is currently the best treatment for diabetes and obesity. It works by increasing the secretion of hormones from the gut which reduce appetite (leading to weight loss) and improve the body's ability to process and utilise food (leading to improvement in blood sugar levels). Examples of such gut hormones include peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). However, our ability to research how the surgery works is impeded by our current assays, which cannot distinguish between active and inactive forms of gut hormones. We literally cannot tell which is the right hormone to use for treatment. This project will develop new assays using a technology known as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. This is a technology that is able to distinguish between the active and inactive types of gut hormones. These assays will allow us to develop new treatments for diabetes and obesity for patients beyond surgery.