Dysregulation of the body's complex energy balance causes various metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases.
In the Zhang Lab, we seek to understand the key molecular mechanisms to maintain energy balance in our body, with the long-term goal of creating novel therapeutic strategies.
Our investigation began with a search for mutations that cause metabolic disorders in mice, using the largest mouse forward genetic screen platform in the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense. We have screened half the mouse genome, and now study the role of these targeted genes in metabolic regulation.
KDTBD2 Research
The teeny phenotype is caused by a null mutation in the Kelch repeat and BTB (POZ) Domain containing 2 (KBTBD2), which has no previously assigned functions. KBTBD2 clearly functions as an important regulator of insulin sensitivity, but important questions remain that we are pursuing.
Find out moreNew Mechanisms of NAFLD
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition in which excess fat is stored in the liver in people who drink little or no alcohol. We have identified more than 20 genes in which mutations affect liver triglyceride with no change in body weight. We are currently working on these novel genes to identify new mechanisms of NAFLD.
Find out moreNew Mechanisms of Obesity
We recently used a forward genetic screening platform, coupled with automated meiotic mapping, to identify genes that limit obesity. The screening and automated meiotic mapping ascribed obesity phenotypes to numerous genes—some previously associated with obesity and others not.
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