Insulin Resistance: Lessons from Extreme Phenotypes. (360G-Wellcome-095515_Z_11_Z)

I study a condition called insulin resistance, in which the body is unable to respond properly to the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance often develops as a consequence of obesity. Left untreated it can develop into Type 2 diabetes (T2D), which has serious health consequences. Although T2D is common, current treatments are limited and not ideal - thus, developing new approaches for prevention and treatment is a major goal of medical research. In these studies we will 1. Use the latest gen etic techniques to investigate a rare condition called severe insulin resistance (SIR). Unlike T2D, SIR is not associated with obesity and results from a defect in a single gene (different genes are involved in different patients). 2. Identify genes that protect some people from developing insulin resistance, even though they are at high risk. For example not all obese individuals develop insulin resistance, endurance athletes also appear to be protected, even when they are no longer actively training. 3. Study how the genes we identify act within individual cells and model organisms to control insulin sensitivity. Our aim is to use this knowledge to develop improved strategies for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance, T2D and SIR.