Diabetes Mellitus and the Control of Energy Metabolism

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The alarming increase in the number of individuals developing Type 2 Diabetes, together with the disproportionately high expense of its treatment has raised intensive efforts in understanding the physiopathology of this chronic disease and its complications. The application of technologies of gene expression profiling, gene silencing, proteomics and imaging have led to a wealth of new insights and avenues into this disease. New exciting developments relate to the role of mitochondrial function in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, in the mechanism of action of insulin sensitizers and in the development of diabetic complications. Other important developments relate to the mechanisms of secretion and action of adipocyte-derived factors such as leptin, adiponectin, and inflammatory cytokines in the periphery and in the central nervous system. A goal of this meeting is to bring together scientists working in the fields of insulin action, diabetes pathogenesis and complications with scientists working in areas of mitochondrial biogenesis, energy metabolism and membrane trafficking in the secretory pathway. The meeting will seek to integrate this information with gene and protein databases from humans and model systems such as rodents, yeast, drosophila and C.elegans. In addition, half the sessions will be held jointly with the ongoing adipogenesis and obesity meeting, to maximize information flow between the highly interrelated problems of obesity, cellular energy homeostasis, and insulin resistance. Collaborative efforts between investigators in these areas and those involved in chemistry and therapeutics are envisioned to result from this meeting.