David Carling
During my PhD at Dundee University, I characterized a protein kinase termed AMPK. I was awarded an MRC Training Fellowship at the MRC Clinical Research Centre to develop molecular biology skills to clone AMPK. In 1992 I moved to the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences where I have worked ever since. I was made Professor in Biochemistry at Imperial College in 2004. My research continues to investigate the regulation and physiological role of AMPK, particularly in the control of metabolism. My research focuses on investigating the physiological role of AMPK in metabolism. AMPK is the central component of a protein kinase cascade that plays a key role in maintaining energy homeostasis. Dysregulation of energy metabolism occurs in a wide range of human diseases, including obesity and cancer. My group is particularly interested in determining the efficacy of AMPK activation for the treatment of fatty liver disease, obesity and prostate cancer. Recently, we developed a gain-of-function AMPK mouse model that we are using to support our pre-clinical studies. Genetic AMPK activation protects mice against diet-induced obesity. One of the mechanisms for this protection involves the reprogramming of white adipocytes to a skeletal muscle-like cell that has increased thermogenesis mediated by calcium futile cycling. We have also shown that AMPK activation reduces prostate cancer progression in a Pten-deletion mouse model. Our current emphasis is to move our work closer to the clinic.
Abstracts this author is presenting: