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E. Dale Abel, MD, PhD

Abel, Dale small

Contact Information

Office: 4312 PBDB 
Phone: 319-353-3050 
Faculty Profile


Brief description of current research:

Dr. Abel’s research is focused on elucidating the mechanisms that are responsible for cardiac dysfunction in obesity, diabetes and insulin resistant states. His studies have elucidated mechanisms that are responsible for mitochondrial dysfunction that characterizes the heart in insulin resistant states and has pioneered studies of insulin action and glucose metabolism in the heart. Recent studies have focused on: (1) The contribution of excessive myocardial insulin signaling in the myocardium in accelerating left ventricular remodeling in the hypertrophied and failing heart. (2) The regulation of myocardial autophagy by insulin signaling. (3) The mechanisms by which myocardial lipid overload alters autophagy in cardiac muscle (4) The role of altered mitochondrial dynamics in the pathophysiology of cardiac dysfunction in obesity and insulin resistant states. (5) Mechanisms for increased thrombosis in obesity and insulin resistant states.

3 most influential diabetes/obesity/metabolism publications:

  • Abel ED, Peroni O, Kim JK, Kim Y-B, Boss O, Hadro E, Minneman T, Shulman GI, Kahn BB. Adipose selective targeting of the GLUT4 Gene impairs insulin action in muscle and liver. Nature 2001; 409:729-733.
  • Belke DD, Betuing S, Tuttle MJ, Graveleau C, Young ME, Pham M, Zhang D, Cooksey RC, McClain DA, Litwin SE, Taegtmeyer H, Severson D, Kahn CR, Abel ED.  Insulin signaling coordinately regulates cardiac size, metabolism, and contractile protein isoform expression. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2002; 109: 629-639.
  • Riehle C, Wende AR, Sena S, Pires KM, Pereira RO, Zhu Y, Bugger H, Frank D, Bevins J, Chen D, Perry CN. Dong XC, Valdez S, Rech M, Sheng X, Weimer BC, Gottlieb RA, White MF and Abel ED. Insulin Receptor Substrate Signaling Suppresses Neonatal Autophagy in the Heart. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2013: 123:5319-5333.

Quote:

I love my job because mentoring the next generation is one of my most satisfying activities.