Rudy Leibel, MD

Research: The Division of Molecular Genetics has about 25 scientists, students and technicians. Current research activities include efforts to identify genes (and relevant allelic variants) related to obesity and/or type 2 diabetes in rodents and humans. The lab has particular interest in the molecular physiology of the energy homeostasis and glucose/insulin metabolism. We use naturally occurring and en-induced mutations, and transgenic rodent models to identify candidate molecules. We vet these candidates in large numbers of human subjects using high throughput methods for detection of DNA sequence variation. The lab shares responsibility with the Columbia Genome Center for the creation and maintenance of the Columbia University microarray facility (CUMAP), and has personnel expert in the relevant molecular and information science. We have Genome Systems/Affymetrix microarray and readers and large, unique cDNA clone collections for mouse, human and yeast.

Fellow Participation:

• Molecular genetic analysis of the leptin axis in rodents and humans. This work includes organ-specific transgenic rescue of the leptin axis in mice.

• Regulation of gene expression in mouse adipose tissues.

• Molecular cloning of genes modifying susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in obese mice.

• Molecular genetics of beta cell neogenesis and replication using mouse strains with differential susceptibility to type 2 diabetes.

• Massive parallel gene expression in brain and other organs responsive to leptin.

• Molecular physiology and genetics of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in adolescents.

• Effects of experimental weight perturbation on energy homeostasis in human subjects and mice.