My research
program focuses upon the growth and development of
adipose tissue (fat). In this regard, my laboratory
utilizes cell culture models and molecular biology
techniques to address growth-related issues from an
adipocentric point of view in both production animals
and humans.
Two overriding
issues define the research interests of my laboratory:
1) the general failure of meat animals to reach their
potential for growth, and 2) the emergence of obesity
as a global health epidemic. My program is shaped
by the premise that an inability to finely manipulate
adiposity (body fat) and inflammatory responses in
both adipose tissue and muscle contributes greatly
to these problems. Thus, research in my laboratory
concentrates on the nutritional and hormonal regulation
of: 1) fat cell differentiation, 2) fat cell metabolism,
and 3) the innate immune function of both adipose
tissue and muscle. The ultimate goal is to identify
molecular targets that can be exploited to control
body composition and improve health in both production
animals and humans with ideal solutions involving
simple dietary manipulations. Part of these efforts
also involves the development of a porcine model for
human obesity.
Techniques used in the laboratory:
Cell culture
(primary culture and cell lines), transfection assays
(transient transfection, generation of stable cell
lines, knockdown experiments w/siRNA), cell number
assays (proliferation/apoptosis), PCR (real-time and
conventional), DNA subcloning, northern and western
blotting, enzyme activity assays, ELIZAs, mobility
shift assays, fluorescence and luminescence assays.
