Research

Diabetes Mellitus is a disease of largely unknown etiology characterized by an inadequate supply and/or function of insulin. The hormone insulin is secreted by highly specialized cells in the pancreas. These beta cells, together with other endocrine cells, are forming scattered cell clusters histologically known as pancreatic islets.  Normally, they control fluxes of nutrients, especially maintaining constant blood glucose levels by integrating intestinal supply from food and internal reservoirs during fasting.  Our laboratory is interested in characterizing the homeostasis of islet beta cells, so to identify therapeutic targets for regenerative medicine. This is a realistic goal because it is generally assumed that, at least in rodents, pancreatic islets’ beta cell content can increase and/or its function improve not only prenatally, but also during rapid growth in adolescence, and pregnancy.  Moreover, recent evidence from mouse studies suggest that similar regenerative pathway serve to avoid, offset or delay diabetes development. Our laboratory specifically applies a recently established approach and methodology examining islet cell gene expression patterns with unprecedented sensitivity and precision. We analyze transcriptional profiles of fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) purified islet cell subpopulations from mice using quantitative nuclease protection array technology (qNPA). Our efforts focus on transcriptional responses of islet beta cells during metabolic challenges and disease processes.

Education

• 1988 M.D.  Med. Schools, Universities Heidelberg and Ulm, Germany
• 1992           Doctorate in Medicine, Immunology

Postdoctoral Training

• 1990-1992   Predoctoral Fellow, Immunology, University Heidelberg, Germany
• 1992-1994   Postdoctoral Fellow, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
• 1994-1997   Postdoctoral Fellow, Immune Cell Biology Program, NMRI, Bethesda, MD
• 1997-2000   Principal Investigator, Endocrinol. & Diabetes, University Ulm, Germany
• 2000-2009   Staff Scientist/Investigator, Diabetes Branch, NIDDK,NIH, Bethesda, MD
• 2009-         Principal Investigator, Diabetes Research Center, UMMS, Worcester, MA