During the past decade, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes drastically increased in the U.S.  Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells become insulin resistant.  While obesity greatly increases one’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the aging process in itself leads to muscular insulin resistance.  Many questions exist about age-related insulin resistance, so my research focuses on the pathophysiology of insulin resistance in aging muscle. 

In particular, my research involves studying GLUT4 translocation from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane in skeletal muscle.  At a basil state, GLUT4 resides in storage vesicles located in the cytoplasm.  When insulin binds to its receptor on the outside of the plasma membrane, a signal cascade, via protein phosphorylation, triggers GLUT4 storage vesicles to translocate to the plasma membrane.  GLUT4 then plays the vital role of transporting glucose from the bloodstream and into the skeletal muscle. 

In order to visualize the GLUT4 protein, I use a plasmid containing GLUT4 fused with a myc epitope and green fluorescent protein (GFP).  The plasmid is injected into rat tibialis anterior muscle, followed by electroporation.  Electroporation temporarily induces nanometer size holes in the plasma membrane so that the plasmid can enter the cell.  The GFP fluorescence and immunohistochemistry of the myc epitope on muscle cross sections allow the location of the myc-GLUT4-GFP protein to be viewed using confocal and TIRF microscopy.

This novel, in vivo model for visualizing GLUT4 translocation can now be used to apply physiological conditions, such as aging, exercise, and diet, to studying type 2 diabetes.

Academic Training

2002-2005

South Dakota State University B.S. in Nutritional Sciences

    

Professional Experience

2003-2005

Student Research Assistant SDSU E.A. Martin Program in Human Nutrition Project Titles: 1. Variations in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone concentration by season, lifestyle, and body composition.  2. South Dakota Rural Bone Health Study

 

Published Abstracts

Gorres, B.K., T.L. Binkley, and B.L. Specker.  Low vitamin D status in rural and older populations with high body fat.  Poster presented at Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA, April 2005.