Touchstone Diabetes Center

Christine M. Kusminski, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (left), and Xinxin Yu, M.D., Research Scientist, are studying the effects of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) on fat cells as a possible therapy for obesity.

UTSW Medical Center Newsroom

Cell Metabolism

With commentary by Dr. Ruth Gordillo of the Touchstone Diabetes Center at UTSouthwestern Medical Center

A ‘cozy’ California meeting on lipids

Meet the co-chairs of the 2025 Deuel Conference on Lipids — and learn about its namesake

The Dominican Republic Government and The Dominican Endocrine Society (SODENN) have honored our Dr. Jaime Davidson with the ORDER HERALDICA DE CRISTOBAL COLON for his remarkable achievements and contributions in the field of endocrinology, diabetes, and nutrition throughout his career. CONGRATS!!!!

Researchers find shape-shifting fat cells can fuel breast cancer growth

In this episode of Science Café, Dr. Gupta discusses the problem of obesity and the enigma of why the expansion of fat tissue can lead to diabetes and metabolic syndrome in some individuals but not others. He also highlights how “fixing our fat” can break the link between obesity and diabetes or even protect against obesity itself. Learn how fat tissue is not our foe, but rather our friend. Dr. Gupta is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and joined the Touchstone Diabetes Center in 2012.

Find out how adipose progenitors respond to metabolic states: two fascinating papers (Jofﬁn and Shao) @CellStemCell reveal how adipose-tissue-resident PDGFRb+precursor cell fate is regulated by mitochondrial bio- energetics and how such processes go wrong in obesity pic.twitter.com/1pw35usUfL
— Cell Biology UTSW (@CellUtsw) April 5, 2021

Factors inherent to obesity could increase vulnerability to COVID-19

Inflammation in the lungs combined with high viral loads of the novel coronavirus create a perfect storm for obese patients with COVID-19, UTSW scientists say

UTSW Study Links Alzheimer's-Related Protein To Diabetes And Obesity

A new study found a protein linked to Alzheimer’s Disease also contributes to problems with diabetes and obesity.

It’s called the amyloid precursor protein or APP. That’s the same amyloid believed to form plaque that may cause cognitive decline. The study, published in Nature Metabolism, found APP occurs in far higher levels in the fat cells of mice and humans who are obese. Follow the link to read more

www.keranews.org

"Plugged In To DFW 3: Obesity And Children"

Dr. Olga Gupta of UTSouthwestern Medical Center talks about Texas having the seventh highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17.

UTSouthwestern Newsroom
“Study suggests antibody might be a new tool to fight obesity”

Dr. Philipp Scherer wins “Triple Crown” of Diabetes research awards.

UTSW Article

Philipp E. Scherer, PhD

Professor and Director

Adipose tissue physiology and pathophysiology and its impact on systemic energy homeostasis in diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Visit the Scherer Lab

Olga Gupta M.D.

Assistant Professor

Pediatric diabetes care; Psychosocial mechanisms leading to poor adherence to diabetes self-management tasks in young individuals with type 1 diabetes; Molecular aspects of visceral adipose tissue mesothelial cells
Visit the O. Gutpa Lab

Christine Kusminski Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Mitochondrial bioenergetics in the context of adipose tissue physiology and energy metabolism. Evaluation of the integrated signaling mechanisms that govern white adipose tissue expansion.

Roger Unger M.D.

Professor

Adipose tissue physiology, beta and alpha cell crosstalk, the role of glucagon in normal and pathophysiological states and the impact of these hormones on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

Visit the Unger Lab