The laboratory has a broad interest in the molecular cell biology of insulin secretion with emphasis on the role of secretory granule proteins in organelle biogenesis, post-translational processing and regulation of exocytosis. Our focus on molecular mechanisms and cell-specific responses has a natural tie with the pathogenesis of type 1 and type 2 diabetes since many of the ß-cell associated genes and proteins we have identified (prohormone convertases 1 & 2, phogrin, Imogen 38, IGRP (G6PC2), and zinc transporter 8) are themselves implicated in islet dysfunction or autoimmune disease. Our recent genomic studies have broadened the horizon of such investigations and led to identification of physical and functional biomarkers of pancreatic islet cells through which we can address diverse translational goals such as the imaging of islet cell mass in diabetes, development on antigen-based immune tolerance protocols in human subjects and selection of islet progenitor cell that may be manipulated to achieve therapeutic beta-cell regeneration.

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