Nutrients, the Digestive Tract and Diabetes

Illustration of the digestive system

Members of the BBDC are known internationally for their ground breaking work on the development of gut peptides as new therapies for diabetes and intestinal disorders, incretin biology, chylomicron assembly/intestinal lipid mobilization and the discovery of novel gut-brain-liver signaling pathways. This research encompasses investigators from a wide variety of disciplines, including endocrinology, gastroenterology, metabolism, neurobiology, nutrition and physiology.

Through the application of cell, molecular and whole organism approaches in animal models as well as in humans, researchers examine the mechanisms underlying obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as possible nutritional and therapeutic approaches to treat these diseases. One intestinal hormone of particular interest to members of the research group is the nutrient-stimulated incretin, glucagon-like peptide-1, which is now well established in the clinic for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and as an anti-obesity agent. Through integration of their research expertise, and in collaboration with the CFI “3D Centre for studies on Diet, the Digestive Tract and Disease”, BBDC researchers will further accelerate the progression of basic science discoveries to the application of these findings in patients with obesity and diabetes.