Regulated secretion of insulin by the pancreas and the actions of insulin and leptin in neuronal, muscle, fat and liver cells are critical for controlling the body's energy metabolism. Disruption of these processes leads to diabetes or obesity. Researchers in this program are defining the cell signaling mechanisms that control glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by pancreatic cells, and those that underlie the actions of insulin and leptin in the control of glucose and fat metabolism in central and peripheral tissues. By using cell models to identify the important response components, researchers are generating transgenic animal models to alter the expression of these signaling components to determine the mechanisms that lead to diabetes and obesity.

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