The research lab of Jeffrey Elmendorf dissects mechanisms of insulin action that regulate glucose uptake by fat and muscle cells, and defines defects contributing to insulin resistance associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Active Research
The Elmendorf Lab dissects mechanisms of insulin action that regulate glucose uptake by fat and muscle cells, and defines defects contributing to insulin resistance associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Cell, animal, and human data from the lab suggest that plasma membrane cholesterol accumulation in these cells negatively impinges on cytoskeletal and membrane structure essential for glucose transporter GLUT4 regulation by insulin. Ongoing studies are asking novel questions about cellular cholesterol accumulation and GLUT4 dysregulation, what mechanisms are involved, and the impact of targeting this toxicity on preventing and/or improving insulin resistance.
