Department: Pathology

E-mail: ila.singh@path.utah.edu
Address: 3110B Eccles Institute of Human Genetics (EIHG)
Phone: 585-0727

Research Title: Aspects of Retroviral Replications

Research Description:

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in individuals with diabetes. Our laboratory is focused on elucidating the mechanisms that underlie the increased risk of diabetic cardiac muscle to injury. Our recent studies have indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction is an important contributor to cardiac dysfunction in diabetes and the increased risk of these hearts to injury. We have recently shown important links between altered insulin signaling and altered fatty acid metabolism that occurs in diabetes and the development of mitochondrial dysfunction in the heart. We have chosen to study these problems in transgenic and knockout mice with altered expression levels of key signaling intermediates in the insulin signaling pathway, or pathways that regulate glucose or fatty utilization in the heart. Experience in our lab is broad and varied ranging from gene expression studies using real-time PCR, protein expression, DNA cloning to measurement of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in mitochondria, isolated cardiomyocytes and intact hearts. Therefore students rotating in our lab will be exposed to cutting edge molecular biological, as well as biochemical and physiological techniques.

Does this research involve human subjects or animals? Yes

If yes, what is the protocol number?

10/2008