Metabolism, Obesity, and Diabetes (MOD)
An overview of the research goals, current research projects, and principal investigators of the MOD research theme
The Metabolism, Obesity, and Diabetes (MOD) Theme in the Centre for Cardiovascular Science, QMRI, brings together clinical and basic scientists focused on:
- Understanding mechanisms maintaining metabolic health across the life course.
- Understanding how these go awry to drive ill health, including obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, cardiovascular diseases, and increased susceptibility to infections.
- Developing novel approaches to reducing disease risk and treating established metabolic disease.
The purpose of the Theme is to act as a nexus for cross-disciplinary collaborations aimed at understanding and treating cardiometabolic diseases.
We maintain close collaborations across the University of Edinburgh, particularly through the Edinburgh Diabetes Network, and with the Institute for Regeneration and Repair, the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Edinburgh Neuroscience, and the Edinburgh Pregnancy Research Team within the Usher Institute and the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health.
The theme maintains a range of strong international collaborations, especially with Denmark (through the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy, DDEA) and Malawi (through NIHR funding).
In addition to CVS's wider seminar programme, the MOD theme runs more thematically focused internal meetings, including a monthly Adipose Biology Club and a Steroid Interest Group. The UK-wide Adipose Tissue Discussion Group meetings in 2018 and 2021 were organised by our members, who are also organising the 2023 meeting.
Our work enjoys broad-based support from numerous funders, including the British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK, MRC, BBSRC, Wellcome, the Chief Scientist Office, and the NIHR.
Our research encompasses a wide range of experimental approaches and modalities, including:
- Cell and molecular biology
- Advanced imaging and analytic platforms
- Model organism genetics and physiology
- Proof of concept for advanced therapies
- Human genetics
- Experimental medicine
- Clinical trials
- Data science