Beta cell biology

Pancreatic beta cells are responsible for secreting adequate amounts of insulin into the blood stream to maintain glucose homeostasis. Beta cells have a remarkable capacity to adapt to metabolic challenges, such as obesity, and to increase their secretory output accordingly. However, failure of beta cells to match secretory output with demand results in hyperglycaemia, type 2 diabetes and associated morbidities. Likewise, autoimmune destruction of beta cells during type 1 diabetes leads to a loss of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion resulting in dysregulated blood glucose. The global population is currently facing an obesity and diabetes epidemic, making research into this area an economic, medical and ethical priority.

The Cantley lab works at the interface of biochemistry, cell/islet biology and whole body metabolic physiology, to investigate the molecular mechanisms controlling pancreatic beta and alpha cell function. Of particular interest are how these mechanisms coordinate the pancreatic endocrine response with whole body metabolic status, how they adapt during obesity, and how they fail during diabetes. We are currently focussed on nutrient sensing (in particular lipid signalling), beta cell regeneration and viral/interferon response pathways.

Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=-dFOnA8AAAAJ

If you are interested in joining the lab as doctoral student or postdoc please get in contact with Dr. Cantley.