Metabolism Interest Group

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome X, and Cushings Syndrome are diseases characterized by inadequate regulation of nutrient uptake, use, and storage. Resulting imbalances in circulating glucose and lipid levels induce a wide arrange of health complications including hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure, susceptibility to infection, etc. These diseases affect multiple organ systems, and efforts to fully understand their pathogenesis will ultimately require teams of investigators with expertise in a wide range of scientific disciplines. To enhance understanding of these multifactorial disorders, the University of Utah has organized an interdisciplinary consortium of scientists performing basic and clinical research aimed at elucidating the physiological signals that control metabolic homeostasis. With support from the University of Utah's Departments of Biochemistry and Internal Medicine and the Margolis Diabetes Research Foundation, the Metabolism Interest Group maintains a Metabolism Core Facility and a seminar program.

Metabolism Core Facility - The metabolism core facility provides expertise and instrumentation for performing automated, non-invasive analysis of several physiological and behavioral parameters in mice. Specifically, the facility maintains 4 metabolic chambers which allow one to measure oxygen consumption, CO2 evolution, heat generation, locomoter activity, food intake, water intake and related parameters in real time. For additional information please contact Jared Rutter.

Metabolism Interest Group Seminar Series - The Metabolism Interest Group sponsors a weekly seminar program which includes both internal and external speakers. Meetings are held on Thursdays in room 6100 of the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics. A frequently updated seminar program can be found here.

Metabolism Interest Group Research Programs - Scientists participating in the Metabolism Interest Group have appointments throughout the basic and clinical departments at the U. of Utah School of Medicine.

• Dale Abel, Associate Professor of Medicine - Insulin signaling and action in the heart
• Don Ayer, Associate Professor of Oncological Sciences - Transcriptional regulation of metabolism
• Susan Mango, Professor of Oncological Sciences - Identification of genes regulating fat deposition
• Don McClain, Professor of Medicine - Molecular basis of diabetes
• Jared Rutter, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry - Metabolic signal transduction
• Janet Shaw, Professor of Biochemistry - Regulation of mitochondrial dynamics
• Scott Summers, Associate Professor of Medicine - Regulation of insulin signal transduction by lipids
• Dennis Winge, Professor of Medicine - Regulation of mitochondrial enzymes