From harnessing early-life microbes to protect against diabetes, to targeting cardiac metabolism in heart failure, the Center for Metabolic Health is proving that metabolism is a common thread across diseases, and the next frontier in biomedical discovery.
Our Aim
- Establish the University of Utah as the leader in metabolism research
- Advance research at the forefront of science, technology, and innovation through state-of-the-art core facilities
- Foster a cohesive and collaborative community
- Empower the next generation of metabolic health researchers
- Enable discoveries that improve the metabolic health of people across the Mountain West
Funding Discovery
- Seed Grants: 64 grants funded to date
- Training: Five NIH NIDDK funded training grants supporting 36 trainees
- New Technologies: Investments in technologies development and equipment
- Community Building: Seminars, interest groups, and symposia
Research That Changes Lives
HARNESSING THE POTENTIAL OF CONE SNAIL VENOM TO TREAT METABOLIC DISORDERS
HELENA SAFAVI, PhD, leads a multinational research team that has identified a component within the venom of the geography cone, a deadly marine cone snail, that mimics the human hormone somatostatin, a factor in regulating blood sugar and other hormones in the body. The toxin’s specific, long-lasting effects, which help the snail hunt its prey, could help scientists design better drugs for people with diabetes or hormone disorders, conditions that can be serious and sometimes fatal. The results were recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
INCREASING PACIFIC ISLANDER REPRESENTATION IN HEALTH CARE
In the Spring 2024, WILL HOLLAND, PhD, MARCUS PEZZOLESI, PhD, and RAPHAEL KALANI, MD, received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to support the Haumana ‘O Pasifika Kidney Program, a summer undergraduate internship program for Pacific Islanders. Trainees are paired with a mentor for a 12-week research experience. The program aims to increase exposure to Utah’s research community, enhance career development, and build skills in scientific communication. The leadership team plans to apply for further NIH funding to support many more years of this exciting new program.
DECIPHERING THE METABOLIC ALPHABET
JARED RUTTER, PhD, and KEVIN HICKS, PhD, applied their golden touch to decipher the language of metabolism. They developed MIDAS (mass spectrometry integrated with equilibrium dialysis for the discovery of allostery systematically), a new method to screen for interactions between metabolites and purified proteins. With this innovative approach, they discovered 830 protein-metabolite interactions. These included known regulators, substrates, and products as well as previously unreported interactions (Science, 2023). One such interaction, the isoform-specific inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase by long-chain acyl-coenzyme A, reveals a new means by which fats control carbohydrate use. This finding could have enormous therapeutic implications for combating diabetes and related diseases.
ADDRESSING CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN RURAL AREAS ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN WEST
PAUL ESTABROOKS, PhD, AMY LOCKE, MD, FAAFP, and other University of Utah investigators were recently awarded a CDC grant to establish the Mountain West Prevention Research Center (MW-PRC) to address inequities in childhood obesity among smaller, lower-income communities across Utah and five other Mountain West states. The MW-PRC will partner with the Driving Out Diabetes Initiative to build upon previously successful strategies to develop and support community-driven programs that foster family physical activity, healthful eating, and healthy weight.
EARLY-LIFE GUT MICROBES MAY PROTECT AGAINST DIABETES
JUNE ROUND, PhD, and colleagues uncovered how early-life gut microbes shape immune responses that may protect against Type 1 diabetes. Their groundbreaking research, published in Science, demonstrated that specific gut bacteria in neonatal mice influence immune cell development, reducing diabetes risk. This discovery highlights the potential for microbiome-targeted interventions to prevent autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes.