Our lab studies the pancreatic beta cell, the body’s primary source of insulin. Diabetes mellitus can only occur when the beta cell is either destroyed by autoimmunity (type 1) or can’t make enough insulin to meet the demands of increased insulin resistance (type 2). Therefore, we believe that the next generation of diabetes therapeutics will come from a better understanding of beta cell biology.
Using a whole genome RNA interference screen, we have identified ~20 novel regulators of insulin production in the beta cell. We have used genetic interaction maps to understand how these hits regulate insulin production. One of these hits is a new player in the unfolded protein response and another hit is a novel regulator of mitochondrial dynamics. We are also now studying the role of these and other hits in mice and tissue culture cells. We are also developing novel assays to allow high throughput RNAi and CRISPR screens for regulators of human pancreatic beta cell survival/proliferation and insulin secretion both in vivo and in vitro.