About Dr. Kahn's Research: Here is a link to Dr. Kahn's most recent study on the genetics of obesity and body composition, published this month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.joslin.org/1148_3354.asp
Over the past three decades, Dr. Kahn's research has literally defined the field of insulin signal transduction and mechanisms of altered signaling in disease. In 1981, Dr. Kahn's laboratory discovered that the insulin receptor is an insulin-stimulated enzyme with protein tyrosine kinase activity. His laboratory also demonstrated how insulin signaling is altered in insulin-resistant states, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity; the impact of genetics and environment on these signaling functions; and how knowledge gleaned from these studies can be translated into new treatment methods for people with diabetes.
In recent studies, Dr. Kahn and his colleagues have conducted a series of studies using genetically engineered mice with knocked out insulin receptors in classical target tissues, such as liver, muscle and fat. These experiments indicate the important links between obesity, diabetes, longevity and other disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Kahn's laboratory also has major interest in adipocyte (fat cell) biology, an important area of obesity research. He is also the leader the Diabetes Genome Anatomy Project, a consort
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Contact: Marjorie Dwyer
marjorie.dwyer@joslin.harvard.edu
617-732-2415
Joslin Diabetes Center
24-Apr-2006