Research Opportunities

Our training program provides many resources in clinical investigation and basic science research. The University's General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), directed by Dr. Elizabeth Seaquist, has been continuously funded by the NIH for over 25 years. The CRC inpatient facilities provide 24-hour nursing service for 14 patients and also have a molecular biological laboratory, a computer center, and a metabolic kitchen. The CRC very actively supports studies of recipients of pancreas and islet transplantation, metabolic effects of dietary carbohydrates, and immunogenetics of diabetic families.

The Division offers exciting research opportunities. For instance, Dr. John Bantle's research interests are the intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus, weight loss treatments for type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic effects of dietary carbohydrates. Dr. Elizabeth Seaquist's research focuses on the use of high field magnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine brain glucose metabolism in patients with diabetes and in normal controls. She also investigates the regulation of in vivo insulin secretion in subjects with reduced beta cell mass. The clinical studies utilize the GCRC as well as the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR).

Divisional research efforts are also carried out at the Veteran's Administration Hospital under the directorship of Dr. Frank Nuttall and Dr. Charles Billington, and at the Hennepin County Medical Center under the direction of Dr. David Stewart, Acting Chief. Dr. Nuttall focuses on regulation of fuel metabolism while Dr. Billington studies regulation of energy expenditures and appetite by the brain.

Many collaborative efforts are ongoing with members of basic science departments within the University of Minnesota. These include molecular studies of hormone action with Howard Towle, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry; and neuroregulation of the pancreatic islet with Robert Sorenson, Ph.D., and Robert Elde, Ph.D., Cell Biology and Neuroanatomy.