The goal of our research is to understand how pancreatic beta cells perform their unique functions. Beta cells are the only cell in the body capable of significant production of insulin. They store insulin intracellularly, releasing it to the bloodstream in response to a variety of physiological stimuli including nutrients such as glucose and fatty acids, hormones and neurotransmitters.
Area:
Life Sciences
Start date:
Friday, September 1, 2023
In our research, we focus on the following aspects of beta cell function:
- The transcriptional mechanisms underlying the normal embryonic development of beta cells and the functioning of mature beta cells
- Manipulating pancreatic cellular identity: molecular mechanisms controlling exocrine to endocrine cell reprogramming
- Dissecting the signaling mechanism that permit beta cells to respond to modulators of insulin secretion, in particular long chain and short chain fatty acids
See:
https://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biomolecular_Sciences/Walker/