Molecular Diabetology
Solimena LabOur laboratory is interested in the cell biology of beta cells of the endocrine pancreas. Pancreatic beta cells play a key role in glucose homeostasis by releasing the glucose-lowering hormone insulin.
Our laboratory is interested in the cell biology of beta cells of the endocrine pancreas. Pancreatic beta cells play a key role in glucose homeostasis by releasing the glucose-lowering hormone insulin.
About our work
Our laboratory is interested in the cell biology of beta cells of the endocrine pancreas. Pancreatic beta cells play a key role in glucose homeostasis by releasing the glucose-lowering hormone insulin. Autoimmune destruction of beta cells leads to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus, whereas an impairment of insulin secretion is implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our research is focused on the insulin secretory granules, i.e. the organelles devoted to the storage and regulated release of insulin in response to glucose and other stimuli.
Our ultimate goal
The ultimate goal is to apply the information obtained through our studies towards the development of novel approaches for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
To pursue these studies we apply a large variety of molecular, biochemical and imaging techniques both in vitro (in insulinoma cells and purified pancreatic islets) and in vivo (in transgenic and knock-out mice).