Pathophysiology of Obesity and Metabolic Disease – POMD

Topics

• Analysis of circuits in the central nervous system (CNS), and the action of gut hormonal and other peripheral endocrine signaling pathways and nutrients in the CNS that regulate metabolism, energy balance and food behavior; studies to elucidate how dysregulation of these circuits and pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic disease.
• Studies focusing on the regulation of peripheral metabolism, food intake and pathophysiology of metabolic disease by the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
• Analysis of hypoglycemia and counter regulatory responses, including glucose sensing and neural control of counter regulatory mechanisms; glucoregulation of neuronal activity in CNS areas involved in metabolic and energy control.
• Developmental processes in the CNS and ANS that regulate predisposition to offspring obesity and metabolic disorders. Perinatal diet and intrauterine environment effect on metabolic processes, tissues and disease in mother and offspring.
• Integration between circadian/sleep central and peripheral regulatory pathways and metabolic disease.
• Effects of diet and caloric excess in microbiota and impact on metabolic tissues and the development of metabolic disease.
• Mechanistic studies related to the effects of bariatric surgery, diet and exercise on metabolic tissues including adipose, liver, skeletal muscle and the central and peripheral nervous system.
• Analysis of endocrine signaling among the pancreas, adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle; nutrient storage and release and communication among these tissues; insulin action in adipose, liver, muscle and neural processes; and analysis of whole-body insulin resistance (including integration between tissues).
• Investigation of intermediary metabolic pathways and mitochondrial function in metabolic tissues related to diabetes and obesity; and physiologic integration of thermogenic processes and energy homeostasis.
• Inflammatory regulation of metabolism and energy balance, including the analysis of cellular and molecular responses to cytokine and adipokine levels and the role of immune cells.

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Human Studies of Diabetes and Obesity (HSDO) in the investigation of signaling pathways that regulate metabolic diseases. Applications focused on human interventions and clinical trials may be reviewed in HSDO, while those that focus on cell or animal models to investigate metabolic regulation of obesity or diabetes may be reviewed here.

There are shared interests with Basic Mechanism in Diabetes and Metabolism (BMDM) in the investigation of signaling pathways that modulate metabolic processes. Applications focused on genetic/epigenetic regulation, differentiation and function of islet, beta cells and adipocytes may be reviewed in BMDM, while those that focus on interactions of endocrine signaling pathways of adipocytes, pancreatic islet cells and their communication with the brain may be reviewed here.

There are shared interests with Nutrition and Metabolism in Health and Disease (NMHD) in the investigation of nutritional communication with the brain. Applications focused on nutritional, dietary, microbiota influences on brain metabolism may be reviewed in NMHD, while those that focus on the effect caloric excess on neural signaling pathways modulating food intake and peripheral metabolism, even when the specific contribution of microbiota changes is investigated, may be reviewed here.

There are shared interests with Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms, and Sleep (BNRS) in the investigation of neural signaling pathways and metabolic regulation. Applications focused on the neurobiological basis of behavior affecting obesity may be reviewed in BNRS, while those that focus on signaling pathways to investigate neural regulatory pathways modulating metabolic homeostasis, including those investigating alteration of circadian/sleep patterns, may be reviewed here.

There are shared interests with Skeletal Muscle Biology and Exercise Physiology (SMEP) in the investigation of metabolic pathways and mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle. Applications focused on oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, energy and substrate metabolism in normal and disease states when skeletal muscle function is the primary focus, may be reviewed in SMEP, while those that focus on insulin action, cytokines, adipokines and inflammatory regulation of metabolic and energy control of skeletal muscle related to obesity and diabetes may be reviewed here.

There are shared interests with Cellular Mechanisms in Aging and Development (CMAD) in metabolic regulation. Applications focused on dietary/caloric restrictions to regulate metabolism in extending lifespan may be reviewed in CMAD, while those studying neural signaling pathways in metabolic regulation in response to dietary changes may be reviewed here.