Director, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine
Director, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center
Professor of Biochemistry
Professor of Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Contact Information
Office: SE303 GH
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
319-356-2745
Lab: 4312 PBDB
169 Newton Road
Iowa City, IA 52242
319-353-3050
Education
MBBS, University of the West Indies
PhD, Physiology, Oxford University
Internship, Surgery, Medicine, OBGYN, Peds, ER, University of the West Indies
Resident, Internal Medicine, Northwestern University
Fellow, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Licensure and Certifications
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Certification - American Board of Internal MedicineInternal Medicine Certification - American Board of Internal Medicine
Education/Training Program Affiliations
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Translational Biomedicine, Medical Scientist Training ProgramCenter, Program and Institute Affiliations
Alfred P. Sloan Center for Exemplary Mentoring, Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, UI Obesity Research and Education InitiativeResearch Summary
Objectives include:- Elucidating the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for cardiac failure in diabetes.
- Elucidating the molecular signals that coordinate the mitochondrial and metabolic adaptations to cardiac growth.
- Elucidating the mechanisms by which insulin and growth factor signaling regulate cardiac mitochondrial function and the adaptation of the heart to stress.
- Elucidating the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, diabetes and its complications.
Our recent studies have underscored the importance of mitochondrial oxidative stress as a major mechanism leading to cardiac dysfunction in obesity and diabetes. 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.