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Barbara Gower PhD

Dr. Gower research interests are related to obesity and energy metabolism, with an emphasis on insulin secretion/action and the role of the endocrine system. Her ongoing research is directed toward understanding the physiologic basis for the greater prevalence of type 2 diabetes among African-Americans in both children and adults; how variation in diet macronutrient composition affects metabolic health, weight loss, and weight loss maintenance; body fat distribution and risk for chronic metabolic disease; and interrelationships among inflammatory factors, insulin sensitivity, and body fat distribution in healthy African-American and Caucasian individuals. In addition to conducting research, Dr. Gower serves as Director for the Metabolism Core Laboratory of UAB's General Clinical Research Center and Clinical Nutrition Research Center.