Metabolic syndrome diseases, including diabetes, have become a world-wide epidemic affecting millions throughout the world. Dysregulated whole-body energy homeostasis is a hallmark of the metabolic syndrome, and better understanding of the molecular pathways that become dysregulated during its progression can ultimately lead to the development of new and improved therapies. Our goal is to understand how changes in nutritional and hormonal cues control basic metabolic pathways to modulate whole-body energy homeostasis.

In our lab, we investigate how the liver regulates its ability to produce glucose in response to nutritional and hormonal signals. This regulation is crucial since the liver plays a central role in controlling whole-body glucose homeostasis and excessive hepatic glucose production is the major cause for elevated levels of blood glucose. We use metabolomics, proteomics and genomic approaches to study the molecular changes that occur in liver during the transition between fasting and refeeding. We hope to be able to manipulate these molecular pathways in order to improve health.