Alan D. Attie, PhD

Link to Biochemistry

Research

Genetic Pipeline. Our projects come from genes we identify in our genetic screens. Our past screens were conducted on F2 populations derived from 2-way crosses of inbred mouse strains. At present, we are conducting a screen of an outbred population derived from an 8-way cross. This population has as much genetic diversity as the entire human population.

Sorcs1 and insulin trafficking. We identified the Sorcs1 gene as causal for a serum insulin phenotype. We knocked out the gene and discovered that deficiency of Sorcs1 in obese mice results in a loss of the insulin containing vesicles in pancreatic β-cells. We are investigating the function of this and related proteins in β-cell lines.

Gene causal networks and diabetes. By combining global gene expression profiling and genetics, we are able to construct causal networks linking specific genes with diabetes phenotypes. One of those genes is the transcription factor NFATc2. We are studying its regulation in relation to β-cell function and diabetes.