The Iowa Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center (DERC) is designed to foster a multidisciplinary approach to the study of diabetes and hormone action at the cellular and molecular level. Investigations primarily relate to mechanisms of diabetic complications, insulin and the insulin- like growth factors, glucose transporters, and intracellular signaling pathways, but also include molecular regulation of G proteins, ion channels as well as cellular effects of LH/FSH, leptin and other growth factors. The Center has six major goals: 1) to develop molecular biology approaches to diabetes and hormone action research; 2) to centralize facilities that were being duplicated in several different laboratories; 3) to provide, as core resources, facilities and expertise that are not available at the University; 4) to facilitate new areas of investigation by multiple DERC investigators; 5) to test new hypotheses related to diabetes and mechanisms of hormone action through the Pilot and Feasibility Program; and 6) to promote multidisciplinary approaches to the study of diabetes and hormone action through collaborative studies. The acheive these goals, the Center has developed several resources: An Administrative Core; Molecular Biology Core; Cell Biology Core (Media and Cell Production); Membrane Biology Core (Central Facility for Peptide Iodination; signal transduction analysis, glycoprotein analysis and Morphology Subcore); a Pilot and Feasibility Study Program to support pilot studies related to the Center theme; a Computer Core; and Enrichment Program of seminar speakers and workshops; a Transgenic Animal Facility; and a Vector Core.
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