Professor Lora Heisler
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Professor Lora Heisler
FRSE
Chair in Human Nutrition
- About
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Biography
Professor Heisler investigates brain circuits regulating energy homeostasis in an effort to identify new targets amenable to obesity and type 2 diabetes medications. Professor Heisler received her PhD from Tufts University, USA in 1997 and held postdoctoral positions at the University of California, San Francisco USA from 1997-99 and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School (HMS) USA from 1999-2001. In 2001, Professor Heisler was promoted to Instructor and set up her laboratory at HMS. She then relocated her group to the University of Cambridge, UK in 2004 where they worked until 2013. In 2013, the Heisler group moved to the Rowett Institute to take advantage of the Institute’s strengths in obesity research, ranging from molecules to man.
News
The MOOMIN (Mechanisms Of Obesity, Metabolism, Insulin Sensitivity and Nutrition) Lab welcomes new PhD student Dhamyaa Al-Halboosi!
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
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Obesity and Food Choice Theme Lead
- External Memberships
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Deputy Editor, Molecular Metabolism
SAB, Keysone Symposia
Prizes and Awards
Professor Heisler was the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award (OSAA) from the American Diabetes Association. Professor Heisler received the OSAA prize for her research identifying a new type of medication to improve type 2 diabetes. This prestigious award recognises research in diabetes that demonstrates particular independence of thought and originality. Her career scientific contributions include seminal discoveries in the brain control of appetite and blood sugar that demonstrate her innovation.
Professor Heisler commented: “Diabetes is such a widespread problem and it is crucial that we as scientists continue to research this disease in order to find new ways to combat it. It is extremely humbling to be recognised for our contribution to diabetes research. I work alongside many talented colleagues."
- Research
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Research Overview
Moomin Lab
Mechanisms Of Obesity, Metabolism, Insulin Senstivity and Nutrition
Our research aims to discover and characterise these brain circuits using cutting edge technology with the objective of locating points within the pathway that are amenable to manipulation with manmade (drug) or natural (hormone) substances.
We also examine the impact of diet and body weight on circuit rewiring and mechanisms restore appropriate system connectivity and activity.
The ultimate aim of our research is to identify new treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Cells in the brain that impact appetite Our work identifying a new treatment
for type 2 diabetes is on the journal coverCurrent Research
Research team
- Dr Yuliia Martynova - Research fellow
- Dr Pablo Blanco Martinez de Morentin - Research fellow
- Mr Alasdair Leeson Payne - Research fellow
- Miss Raffaella Chianese - Research assistant
- Miss Dhamyaa Al-Halboosi - Research assistant
- Mr Matevz Arcon - PhD Student
Funding and Grants
BBSRC
Diabetes UK
Wellcome Trust
Medical Research Scotland
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
Frontiers of Biomedical Science - SM3002
- Publications
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Page 4 of 5 Results 31 to 40 of 44
5-HT2C receptor agonist anorectic efficacy potentiated by 5-HT1B receptor agonist coapplication: an effect mediated via increased proportion of pro-opiomelanocortin neurons activated
Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 33, no. 23, pp. 9800-9804Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4326-12.2013
Neuroanatomical characterisation of the expression of the lipodystrophy and motor-neuropathy gene Bscl2 in adult mouse brain
PloS ONE, vol. 7, no. 9, e45790Contributions to Journals: ArticlesBrain glucose sensors play a significant role in the regulation of pancreatic glucose-stimulated insulin secretion
Diabetes, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 321-328Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.2337/db11-1050
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/5653/1/Diabetes_2012_Osundiji_321_8.pdf
Setting the tone: reactive oxygen species and the control of appetitive melanocortin meurons
Cell Metabolism, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 573-574Contributions to Journals: Editorials- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2011.10.004
Neuropeptide Y cells represent a distinct glucose-sensing population in the lateral hypothalamus
Endocrinology, vol. 152, no. 11, pp. 4046-4052Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2011-1307
Leptin does not directly affect CNS serotonin neurons to influence appetite
Cell Metabolism, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 584-591Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2011.03.016
Identification of adropin as a secreted factor linking dietary macronutrient intake with energy homeostasis and lipid metabolism
Cell Metabolism, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 468-481Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2008.10.011
5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy homeostasis
Neuron, vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 582-589Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSerotonin 5-HT2C receptor agonist promotes hypophagia via downstream activation of melanocortin 4 receptors
Endocrinology, vol. 149, no. 3, pp. 1323-1328Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2007-1321
Serotonin 2C receptor agonists improve type 2 diabetes via melanocortin-4 receptor signaling pathways
Cell Metabolism, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 398-405Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2007.10.008
