Substrate Metabolism Laboratory
Dr. Jeffrey Horowitz
1210 CCRB
401 Washtenaw Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2214
Phone: (734) 647-3354
Research Overview
Dr. Jeff Horowitz directs the Substrate Metabolism Laboratory (SML). His laboratory studies the regulation of fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism in humans, with particular interest in how exercise and diet affect energy metabolism. Dr. Horowitz’s laboratory studies whole-body and regional lipid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism in human subjects using stable-isotope tracers, microdialysis, and indirect calorimetry. In addition, Dr. Horowitz's laboratory examines cellular regulation of substrate metabolism in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. The combination of these approaches provides a powerful tool to identify cellular variations in tissues and the associated alterations in systemic or tissue-specific substrate metabolism. Therefore, this integrated approach makes it possible to associate cellular adaptations to exercise with clinical outcomes, which could lead to improved methods to treat chronic diseases or to advancements in "healthy aging."
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Current Projects
"Dietary fatty acid composition and obesity-related metabolic abnormalities"
Major Goal(s): To compare the effects of a high saturated fat diet and a high unsaturated fat diet on insulin sensitivity and factors regulating insulin action in overweight men and women.
"Exercise dose response for improving insulin sensitivity"
Major Goals(s): Compare the effects exercise intensity (50% vs 65%VO2peak) and energy expended (350 vs 700kcal) during a single exercise session on insulin sensitivity and fatty acid partitioning within skeletal muscle the next day in obese adults.
"Fatty acid metabolism and insulin sensitivity after exercise in obesity"
Major goal(s) : Determine the impact of a single session of exercise and the content of meals after exercise on insulin sensitivity and the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism the next day.
"Physiological importance of growth hormone pulsatility"
Major goal(s): Determine the effect of different methods of growth hormone administration (constant dose vs. pulsatile dose) on lipid and protein metabolism in persons with growth hormone hormone deficiency.
"Growth Hormone as a determinant of weight regulation"
Major goal(s): Determine role of growth hormone in regulating changes in body weight and body fat in response to overeating.
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SML News
SML receives award from the Robert C. Atkins Foundation to investigate consequences of diets high in saturated fat vs. unsaturated fat
The SML has received a generous award of nearly half of a million dollars from the Robert C Atkins Foundation to investigate the effects of diets containing different amounts of saturated and unsaturated fats on whole-body and cellular fatty acid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and changes in gene profile in muscle and fat tissue.
Schenk Receives Prestigious ACSM Award
Recent Kinesiology PhD graduate Simon Schenk is the 2006 recipient of the “National Research Student Award” by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). This award is among the world’s highest honors for a graduate student in Exercise Physiology.
Simon received this award based on work he completed as part of his doctoral dissertation in the Substrate Metabolism Laboratory in the Division of Kinesiology. Simon was presented this award at a banquet during the 2006 ACSM National Conference in Denver in June 2006.
Simon, who hails from Australia, is now continuing his research and training as a Post-doctoral Fellow in Dr. Jerrold Olefsky’s laboratory at the University of California – San Diego, which is among the top labs in the world investigating cellular and molecular regulation of insulin action.
Congratulations Simon for this well-deserved honor!
SML receives NIH funding to study body weight regulation.
The NIH has awarded the SML with research grant for > $2 million to investigate factors involved in the regulation of weight gain (when over-fed) and weight-loss (when under-fed). This 5-year research project is specifically focused on the potential role of Growth Hormone in the regulation of metabolic processes that might make someone more- or less prone to gaining weight.
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Members
Faculty:
Jeffrey Horowitz, Ph.D. (jeffhoro@umich.edu), Director
Lab Manager/Technician:
Al Hinko, Ph.D. (alhinko@umich.edu)
Post-Doctoral Fellows:
Rocio Cordero, MD, (rocio@umich.edu)
Minghua Li, PhD (minghua@umich.edu)
Study Coordinator/Dietician:
Lisa Locke, RD, CNSD (lislocke@umich.edu)
Doctoral Student(s):
Andrea Cornford (cornford@umich.edu)
Sean Newsom (seanalec@umich.edu)
Undergraduate Student(s):
Chris Paran (cparan@umich.edu)
Kristin Thomas (kristo@umich.edu)
Kevin Weiss (ksweiss@umich.edu)
Collaborators:
Neil Alexander, MD ( nalexand@umich.edu), U-M Internal Medicine [Geriatric Medicine]
James Ashton-Miller, PhD (jaam@umich.edu), U-M Engineering [Biomedical Engineering]
Ariel Barkan, M.D. (abarkan@umich.edu), U-M Internal Medicine
[Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes]
Charles Burant, M.D., Ph.D. (burantc@umich.edu), U-M Internal Medicine
[Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes]
John Faulkner, PhD (jafaulk@umich.edu), U-M Institute of Gerontology
Craig Jaffe, MD (cjaffe@med.umich.edu), U-M Internal Medicine [Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes]
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