Sabire Ozcan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

MN 608 Medical Center
Lexington, KY 40506-0298
Tel: (859)-257-4821
Fax:(859)-323-1037
e-mail: sozcan@uky.edu

Academic Appointments:

• Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences

Education:

• B.S., M.S., Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany
• Ph.D., Heinrick-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany
• Postdoc., Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri

Specific Interest in nutrition:

Role of nutrients such as glucose in regulation of insulin production.

Research:

Dr. Ozcan’s laboratory studies the biological effects of glucose on regulation of gene expression and metabolism. Defects in maintaining normal glucose homeostasis result in metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, which affects over 8% of the American population. The major projects in the laboratory are:

1. Studies on glucose regulation of insulin gene transcription in pancreatic beta cells and identification of the components involved in this signaling pathway. Our preliminary data indicate that high blood glucose levels induce insulin gene expression by causing the hyperacetylation of histone H4 at the insulin gene promoter via the recruitment of co-activators. Understanding the exact mechanisms by which increases in blood glucose levels stimulate insulin gene expression in the pancreas will contribute to the design of novel clinical interventions to treat type I and type II diabetes.
   
2. Role of O-Linked GlcNAc protein modification in the development of diabetes. Elevated levels of O-linked GIcNAc protein modification in response to hyperglycemia has been proposed to contribute to the secondary complications associated with diabetes. However, the exact mechanisms by which increases in O-GIcNAc levels interfere with glucose homeostasis remain unknown. We are interested in identifying and characterizing O-linked GIcNAc modified proteins from pancreatic beta cells to better understand the role of this modification in contributing to diabetes.
   
3. Engineering of non-beta cells to produce insulin in a glucose-response manner. There is a high demand for insulin producing non beta cells as a treatment for type I as well as type II diabetes. We have utilized liver cells for production of insulin by expressing either beta cell specific transcription factors or the human insulin cDNA. We are currently using different strategies to make the insulin producing liver cells glucose responsive.