FOEDRC Research Day, 2/26/18

A day set aside for the dozens and dozens of investigators and their scores of lab members is beneficial for a few reasons. It gives everyone a sense of just how broad the project they are involved with is, seeing the scope and variety of research being performed. It helps break down barriers between working groups as they meet other members and discuss potential new collaborations or ideas. And it allows a large organization such as the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC) an opportunity to celebrate and thank all its members for their dedication and hard work.

Marc Reitman, MD, PhD, began the afternoon with a presentation on “Regulation of Metabolic Rate and Body Temperature: Mouse as a Model for Human (A quest to understand the physiology of obesity).” Dr. Reitman is the Senior Investigator and Chief of the Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the NIH. He discussed some of the challenges of using mice in obesity research given the fact that their thermal biology differs so greatly from humans. Half of a mouse’s food intake goes just to body temperature regulation and can even enter torpor to come closer to the temperature of its environment.

After Dr. Reitman’s address came eight 15-minute presentations from members of the FOEDRC, representing a variety of departments.

James Ankrum, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Iowa College of Engineering
Talk Title: Coaching Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Function in the Presence of Palmitate

Mikako Harata, BS
Research Assistant
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Talk Title: Human Pseudoislets as a 3D Model to Address the Regulation of Insulin Secretion

Matt Potthoff, PhD
Director, Molecular & Cellular Biology PhD Program
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Talk Title: Endocrine Control of Carbohydrate Homeostasis by the Liver

Huxing Cui, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Talk Title: Lateral Hypothalamic Circuits in Physiological Regulation

John Reho, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Pharmacology
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Talk Title: mTORC1 signaling regulates vascular endothelial function via reactive oxygen species and NFκB signaling

Qingwen (Kevin) Qian, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Talk Title: iNOS‐promoting lysosomal nitrosative stress contributes to impaired hepatic autophagy in obesity

Andrew Norris, MD, PhD
Associate Director, FOE Diabetes Research Center
Associate Professor, Departments of Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes and of Biochemistry University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and UI Health Care
Talk Title: Acyl‐Ghrelin Dysfunction and Hyperglycemia in Cystic Fibrosis

Rhonda Souvenir, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Talk Title: Sexual Dimorphism in Platelets: Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Thrombosis

Following these talks, it was time for the Scientific Poster Session in the MERF Atrium. Fifty-five abstracts were accepted for display, and dozens of judges fanned out to assess, discuss, and question. Attendees also circulated, enjoying appetizers and conversation with colleagues.

Congratulations to the winners in the following categories. Each received a cash prize.

Post-doctoral Category

• Guorui Deng – AT1A couples to G-alpha-i in AgRP neurons to control resting metabolic rate
• John Reho – mTORC1 signaling regulates vascular endothelial function via reactive oxygen species and NFκB signaling

Student Category

• Sharon Idiga – Novel Endocrine Circuit Regulating Sugar Satiety
• Rachel Minerath – CDK8 activity-dependent regulation of heart disease
• Angela Olvera – Fat-Derived FGF21 is Dispensable for the Resistance to Diet-Induced Obesity Observed in Mice Lacking OPA1 in Adipose Tissue
• Alix Arthur Jean Rouault – Regions of MRAP2 required for the inhibition of orexin and prokineticin receptor signaling

In his email to the center announcing the winners, FOEDRC Director Dale Abel, MD, PhD, said:

Our warmest thank you to all students, staff, and judges for their participation in the Diabetes Research Day Scientific Poster Session and Speaker Symposium. Without you, the event would not have been a success.