My overarching research aim is to understand the mechanisms underlying the impairment in function and survival of pancreatic beta-cells in type 2 diabetes, cells with a critical role in regulating blood glucose homeostasis. I am particularly interested in how glucose sensing impacts on both beta-cell function and survival. My research falls into two main research areas: i) delineating the pathways mediating cell survival. vs death in type 2 diabetes, with a particular focus on autophagy; ii) identifying mechanisms for preserving the metabolic function of beta-cells. These areas are particularly relevant given the loss of beta-cell function and increased cell death evident in type 2 diabetes.
