1. Diabetes and Metabolic Disease
at the University of Chicago
Available for download at
tech.uchicago.edu/areas

2. UChicago: Leading the Way
Lou Philipson, MD, PhD
Director of Kovler Diabetes
Center & Professor of Medicine
Leading authority on difficult to
treat and monogenic diabetes
New state-of-the-art clinical and
research center
Graeme Bell, PhD
Louis Block Distinguished Professor
of Medicine & Human Genetics
World leader in genetics and
regulation of glucose metabolism
• > 100 years of advancing diabetes research
• >120 scientists and clinicians
• Multidisciplinary teams conducting early
discovery and clinical studies
• Leading monogenic diabetes registry
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3. Areas of Expertise
Clinical Research, Genetics, & Biomarkers
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Genetics of diabetes
New diagnostic and treatment paradigms
Mutations databases
Monogenic diabetes
Neonatal diabetes
MODY
Signal Transduction
• Regulation of insulin and glucagon
secretion
• CNS & insulin response
• Regulation of adipocyte biology
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Immunology & Islet Biology
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Autoimmunity
Beta cell biology and turnover
Insulin synthesis & trafficking
T-cell biology & T1D
Type 2 Diabetes & Obesity
• Regulation of energy storage in adipocytes
and liver
• Fat cell and mitochondrial biology
• Sleep and endocrine function

4. Clinical Research, Genetics, & Biomarkers
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Advanced clinical resources and access to
diverse patient populations enable
population-based and personalized studies
of diabetes genetics
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Discoveries enabling patient stratification
and improved patient care through
development of new diagnostics and
personalized therapeutic paradigms
Select Research & Technologies
Graeme Bell, PhD
Gene mutations leading to early onset
of diabetes: development of diagnostics
and identification of new therapeutic
targets
Lou Philipson, MD, PhD
GLP-1 signaling and GLP-1 receptor
regulation: discovery of new
therapeutics and development of noninvasive companion diagnostic for
personalized incretin-based therapies *
* Available for licensing
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5. Immunology & Islet Biology
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Elucidation of molecular mechanisms leading
to autoimmune destruction of pancreatic
beta cells will enable development of new
and improved therapies for patients with
type 1 diabetes
Select Research
Maria-Luisa Alegre, MD, PhD
High throughput models to screen for
modulators of NF-kB in T-cells:
identification of new treatments for
type 1 diabetes
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Alexander Chervonsky, MD, PhD
Fas signaling in regulation of
autoimmune response and destruction
of pancreatic beta cells: identification of
new therapeutic targets in diabetes

6. Signal Transduction
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Understanding the central and systemic
regulation of glucose homeostasis will lead
to new and improved therapies for type 1
diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and obesity
Select Research
Chris Rhodes, PhD
Map directly linking the hypothalamus
to pancreatic islets for fine control of
insulin and glucagon secretion:
identification of new targets and
therapies for diabetes
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Barton Wicksteed, PhD
Mechanisms of insulin synthesis and
beta cell survival: identification of new
drug targets for diabetes and obesity

7. Type 2 Diabetes & Obesity
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Adipocyte biology, including white and
brown fat adipocytes, emerged as new
promising source of drug targets for
discovery and development of new
transformational therapies for treating the
growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes and
obesity
Select Research
Matthew Brady, PhD
Biology of different types of white fat
and brown fat: new therapeutic
approaches for obesity and type 2
diabetes
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Kay Macleod, PhD
BNIP3: novel therapeutic target for
clearing dysfunctional fatty liver in
obesity

8. How to Partner with the University of Chicago
Contact UChicagoTech, the Center for Technology Development & Ventures,
to learn more.
We build strong industry partnerships to successfully bring innovation to the
marketplace. UChicagoTech can connect you to emerging technologies and fieldadvancing researchers that may inform and enrich your own innovation efforts. We
value your involvement at every stage of the invention pipeline, from idea to tangible
asset. For more information, visit us at tech.uchicago.edu or contact the Diabetes and
Metabolic Disease team below.
Divya Varshney, MBA
Chief Marketing Officer
Phone: 773-702-8696
dvarshney@tech.uchicago.edu
Alan Koncarevic, PhD
Project Manager
Phone: 773-702-0741
akoncarevic@tech.uchicago.edu
kovlerdiabetescenter.org
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