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MBRS - RISE at Fresno State |
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MBRS - RISE at Fresno State |
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Research Interests of Participating FacultyLarry Riley, Biology.
Obesity is the leading cause of several life-threatening diseases, including diabetes. My laboratory is also investigating the role of a stomach peptide, ghrelin, on growth and glucose and fatty acid metabolism. The advantage of using fish for this type of research is that fish are generally glucose intolerant. In this sense, fish can be compared to humans with type-2 diabetes. We are interesting in understanding the endocrine mechanisms that prevent fish from utilizing glucose and the link between fatty acids and glucose metabolism. The results of my laboratory’s studies will provide valuable information on ghrelin’s effects on glucose and fatty acid metabolism not only in fish and but also vertebrates in general, which could in turn lead to novel approaches and biotechnologies applicable to medicine, specifically obesity and type-2 diabetes. CSU Fresno students will be involved in all aspects of the research and will be assigned independent research projects that are overseen by the PI. We collaborate with Dr. E. Gordon Grau (University of Hawaii), Dr. Hiroyuki Kaiya (National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan), and Dr. Lance Baumgard (University of Arizona). |
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My laboratory’s research focuses on the endocrine and physiological mechanisms
that regulate growth and metabolism in the euryhaline teleost, tilapia
(Oreochromis mossambicus). Growth in all vertebrates, including fish, is
primarily regulated by the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I axis.
We use both in vitro and in vivo experimentation to investigate the effects of
endocrine and non-endocrine factors that regulate growth. Primarily, we look
at how age, sex, reproductive and nutritional status influence the mechanism(s)
that regulate growth. These studies have important implications to the aquaculture
industry, such as development of rearing strategies that optimize growth in the
tilapia and other fish species.