This program supports research aimed at understanding the mechanisms that account for the fate of proteins after their initial translation. Understanding the proper cellular machinery involved in proper folding, post translation modifications and subcellular trafficking of growth factor receptors, transporters, and transcription factors involved in diabetes, obesity and other metabolic diseases are appropriate research topics. The mechanisms that account for vesicle formation, vesicle fusion, endocytosis, retrograde transport, as well as regulated cellular degradation are also of interest. Examples of areas of interest include the unfolded protein response and ER stress in obesity and diabetes; regulated secretion of insulin and glucagon; trafficking of growth factor receptors, defects in peroxisomal import and regulated glucose transporter trafficking.
For more information, contact Dr. Carol Renfrew Haft, Senior Advisor for Cell Biology, Associate Director for Grants Administration.