Research Description
Circadian disruption due to shiftwork, sleep loss, and night-eating significantly correlates with obesity, leading to heightened inflammation and an increased risk of diabetes. However, the mechanisms through which chronic inflammation contributes to metabolic disorders remain unclear. While acute inflammation is essential for tissue remodeling and repair, chronically elevated inflammation is a major contributor to insulin resistance and diabetes. This proposal aims to investigate a novel interaction between circadian clocks and inflammatory signaling that contributes to unhealthy adipose tissue expansion and type II diabetes. The findings could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches that improve the health of adipose tissue in the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.Research Profile
What area of diabetes research does your project cover? What role will this particular project play in preventing, treating and/or curing diabetes?Chronic low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes and obesity, which contributes to long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and neurological disorders. In particular, inflammation in visceral adipose tissue is recognized as a key factor in the development of insulin resistance. Despite this understanding, little is known about the mechanisms through which inflammation remains elevated and impacts metabolism. My research is investigating a new pathway through which disruption of circadian rhythms leads to inflammation and insulin resistance. These findings will shed light on disease pathogenesis and will advance the development of therapies targeting inflammation for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
If a person with diabetes were to ask you how your project will help them in the future, how would you respond?Inflammation plays a significant role in several complications associated with type 2 diabetes. My project will focus on investigating regulators of inflammation and metabolism, shedding light on their role in the progression of obesity and diabetes. This work will identify new pathways which can be targeted to treat patients with diabetes and other inflammatory diseases.
Why important for you, personally, to become involved in diabetes research? What role will this award play?Diabetes is a complex multifactorial disease that has emerged as a major health problem among adults and children globally. Research at the bench provides the foundation of knowledge to develop therapies that can directly benefit patients. My ultimate goal is to identify new pathways that can be targeted to improve the health and quality of life of people with diabetes. This award will propel my research career forward and grant me invaluable access to a diverse network of scientists, all unified in their dedication to combat diabetes.
In what direction do you see the future of diabetes research going?The future of diabetes research will leverage technological advancements in multi-omics, enabling a deeper understanding of the intricate mechanisms underlying the disease. Furthermore, I believe that there will be a growing emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating fields such as inflammation and metabolic research, to identify novel therapeutic strategies for more effective and tailored diabetes management.