Archana Vijayakumar

Involved in several projects including; - Exploring the role of adipose tissue de novo lipogenesis mediated by the transcription factor carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) in mediating systemic insulin sensitivity using transgenic mouse models that either over-express or have lowered expression of ChREBP in adipose tissue. - Assessing the diabetogenic nature of elevated circulating branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) using transgenic mice that cannnot metabolize BCAAs selectively in adipose tissue.

Worked in the Genetics group to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding for apolipoproteins and brown fat development that associate with the metabolic syndrome in a South Asian population.

• Studying the contributions of growth hormone and insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling in promoting muscle regeneration in response to a chemical insult. • Identifying the molecular mechanisms by which growth hormone action primarily in muscle and other tissues (such as beta cells & adipose tissue) influences systemic metabolic homeostasis. • Investigating the effects of growth hormone on normal cardiac structure and cardiac hypertrophy in response to isoproterenol insult. • Understanding the involvement of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in mediating the growth and progression of mammary tumorigenesis.