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| Authoritative Scientific Investigative Team Lisa A. Cassis, Ph.D. – adipocytes and aneurysm Chair of the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Medicine. A primary research interest is the study of production of components of the renin-angiotensin system by adipocytes, and the impact of an adipose renin-angiotensin system on the development of obesity and obesity-associated diseases (diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis). Alan Daugherty, Ph.D. – lipids and atherosclerosis Editor-in-Chief of the AHA Journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB). College of Medicine Senior Associate Dean for Research, Director, Saha Cardiovascular Research. Studies macrophages, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in the development of dyslipidemias, atherosclerosis, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Phillip Kern, M.D. – metabolic syndrome Professor, Division of Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine, Director, Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes and Obesity Center, Director, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences. Basic and clinical research related to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Clinical studies have examined adipose tissue and muscle gene expression in relation to insulin resistance, tissue lipotoxicity and inflammation in obesity related insulin resistance. Other research involves the gene expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), an important enzyme in adipose tissue that is involved in triglyceride metabolism, diabetes, and obesity. |