Dr. Rob Sladek
Associate Professor - Department of Medicine
Research in the Sladek lab focuses on learning how genetic mutations cause diabetes and other complex diseases. To do this, his group has developed new approaches to identify genetic changes across the whole human genome that are associated with Type 2 Diabetes and also to identify the effects of genetic variation on RNA splicing and gene activation in mouse strains and human populations. Current projects in the lab center on developing new experimental techniques to learn how genetic changes within individual genes and proteins can impair cell metabolism and cause diabetes. Reflecting the increasing impact of diabetes and obesity on global health, much of the group's research in the genetics of diabetes takes place as part of research teams that involve scientists in America, Europe and Asia.
1. Functional studies of type 2 diabetes risk loci identified by genome-wide association studies (using 'omics approaches, cell and mouse models).
2. Development of single cell assays to identify transcription factor networks implicated in metabolic diseases.
3. Genome-wide approaches to identify and characterize genetic variants that improve metabolic fitness in individuals and communities.