The broad aim of my research program is to understand how the body senses and responds to changes in nutrient supply, and to more fully comprehend the cellular adaptive mechanisms triggered by environmental stress in the fight against chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and obesity. My primary research focus is to explore the cellular mechanisms triggered by altered amino acid availability delivered by diet, drug or genetic alteration and to understand how altering the supply of amino acids, in total or individually, regulates protein homeostasis in the whole animal. I am especially interested in the cellular sensing of amino acids and how affiliated signal transduction networks integrate with each other to regulate mRNA translation and DNA transcription in body tissues. I also have longstanding interests in metabolic and molecular responses to exercise. The research activities in my laboratory may be grouped into the following areas:
