RESEARCH
The main research focus of our team are (1) human genetic studies for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic traits, especially in East-Asian (2) molecular mechanism by which these genes causes type 2 diabetes and obesity, and (3) preclinical development of small-molecule drug for treating diabetes and obesity. We participates in several international genetic consortium for type 2 diabetes and obesity to identify their susceptible genes. We further validated their function in genetically modified mice model and dissected molecular mechanisms using cell-based models and other techniques. Based on the identified mechanism, we thought to screen small molecules for treatment. Currently, we identify possible targets to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity including enzymes involved in aldehydes metabolism, prostaglandins metabolism, and pentose phosphate pathway.
研究介紹
我們團隊主要研究興趣為(1)人類肥胖與糖尿病(及相關代謝疾病)之遺傳學, 尤其以東亞特有之基因研究為主 (2)人類與小鼠肥胖與糖尿病(及相關代謝疾病)之轉譯醫學。我們參與國際或國內大型遺傳學計畫, 嘗試以遺傳學方法肥胖與糖尿病定位致病基因, 進一步以基因轉殖鼠驗證, 並探討其分子機轉找尋藥物標的, 最後發展小分子藥物, 並期望進入臨床試驗。 目前我們已針對醛類代謝, 前列腺素代謝, 以及磷酸戊糖途徑酵素, 發展小分子藥物以治療肥胖與糖尿病。