Alan Attie, Ph.D.

I began my research career by studying lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. In mid-career, I switched to work on genetics of obesity and diabetes. My lab is presently devoted to identification and characterization of new genes that confer susceptibility to obesity-induced diabetes and contribute to diabetes complications. We combine metabolic research with cutting edge approaches to genetics and genomics. The laboratory has a highly experienced staff with expertise in physiological studies of insulin secretion, insulin action, lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, and quantitative genetics and is experienced in in vivo studies in numerous animal models as well as in vitro studies in tissue culture models of adipose, muscle, liver, and B-cells. The current focus of our work is on genes that affect vesicle biogenesis and insulin secretion.