Professor Guy Rutter

Molecular Basis of Diabetes

All forms of diabetes involve a decline in insulin production which is absolute in Type 1 diabetes (an autoimmune disease) and relative in type 2 diabetes. We are using comparisons with simpler organisms (yeast, fruit flies etc) and the power of human genetics (eg genome wide arrays, familial linkage analysis) to identify novel approaches to improve pancreatic beta cell mass and function in type 2 diabetes. Particular current interests are in nutrient-regulated protein kinases (eg AMPK), zinc transport and Wnt signalling.

A combination of mouse molecular genetics, in vivo physiology, state-of-the-art cellular imaging (multiphoton, total internal reflection fluorescence), and electrophysiology will be deployed to develop new therapeutic strategies

The clinical specialty relevant to: Diabetes and endocrinology.

Further information: http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/people/g.rutter/

Contact details:

g.rutter@imperial.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 3340