Genes and metabolism in the morbidly obese
Start date
07 February 2014End date
06 February 2016Team
Principal investigator
Professor Margot Umpleby
Diabetes & Metabolic Medicine Research
Biography
Professor Umpleby obtained her first degree in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and her PhD from the University of London. She held various academic appointments between 1982 and 2005 at UMDS subsequently Kings College London. She was appointed Professor of Human Metabolism at Surrey University in 2005.
She is an international expert on the use of stable isotopes for the study of human metabolism. Her research aims to understand the mechanisms that lead to insulin resistance and abnormalities in fatty acid and lipoprotein metabolism in diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and non alcoholic fatty liver disease. She works in partnership with clinicians at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. She also works closely with the Pharmaceutical Industry in the investigation of new treatments.
Her expertise has led to collaborations worldwide and 150 peer reviewed publications. She has received over £3.5m in research funding in the last 10 years from the BBSRC, BHF, Diabetes UK, European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes, MRC, NIHR and the Pharmaceutical industry.
Research interests
Her research strategy focuses on:
- understanding the underlying mechanisms that lead to metabolic abnormalities in diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and non alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- the translation of this understanding into effective treatment.
She is uniquely able to conduct this research strategy due to her expertise in the use of stable isotope techniques, and their measurement by mass spectrometry which can determine in vivo the rates of synthesis, disposal and conversion of metabolites in the body.