Ron Lynch

Ronald M. Lynch Ph.D., Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology

Research in the Lynch lab is focused on how energy metabolism is integrated with function in nutrient sensing cells, and cells of the vasculature. These studies relate directly to understanding the development of Diabetes and its complications.

Nutrient Sensing and Cell-Specific Targeting. Hypothalamic glucose-responsive neurons directly coordinate energy homeostasis, and potentially provide a central link between diabetes and obesity. A primary limitation to the study of these neurons, and similar cells within intestinal crypts, is that they are few in number, and located within "a sea" of other cell types. Currently, strategies are being developed to identify and rapidly isolate these cells thereby facilitating studies of their physiology or their isolation for analysis of gene/ protein expression which would greatly advance this field. Also as part of the cell targeting projects, are current collaborations to develop unique targeted contrast agents for determining cancer cell distribution in vivo.

Subcellular Organization of Ca²⁺ Signaling and Metabolism in Vascular Cells. The second area of biological investigation relates a long standing interest in muscle function, and in particular vascular metabolism and function. Current studies are evaluating the organization of Ca²⁺ signaling pathways in vascular cells, and it’s relation to smooth muscle metabolism and contractility. We have focused on developing imaging tools, but corollary development of mouse lines where specific isoforms of proteins involved in Ca²⁺ signaling pathways are manipulated provide important models to study these questions. Research into the "Role of SR Ca²⁺ ATPase isoforms on Ca²⁺ Regulation in Vascular Endothelial Cells", and the "Role of Na-K ATPase Isoforms and Phospholamdan on Ca2+ Regulation" in arteries from transgenic mouse models are current studies in the lab.