We know that type 2 diabetes is an increasingly common health problem in the country. More than three million Canadians were diagnosed with diabetes in 2022, of which 9 out of 10 cases were type 2. To better treat this metabolic disease and improve the quality of life of patients, we must first shed light on the mechanisms leading to its onset.
Gareth Lim, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Adipocyte Development, has always been fascinated with this topic.
His research team focuses on energy homeostasis and glucose regulation in adipocytes, which are the cells that store fat, also known as fat cells or adipose cells.
Deciphering molecular mechanisms
More specifically, Lim studies the role of molecular scaffolding proteins, particularly the 14-3-3 protein family, in the function, evolution and survival of adipocytes and pancreatic beta cells, which secrete insulin, the hormone that activates glucose to provide energy to the body.
What does this have to do with type 2 diabetes? These two types of cells are involved in the onset of the disease as well as in the development of obesity, which is itself a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
“Over the past year, we have tried to determine how the 14-3-3 zeta protein controls or influences insulin secretion in the beta cell and what the molecular mechanisms are that regulate the development of adipocytes,” says Lim. “We take advantage of the interactome—the map of all interactions between proteins and cells in an organism—to identify new players in the development of an adipocyte.”
In conjunction with this colossal task, Lim and his team are conducting drug repurposing studies to assess whether 14-3-3 zeta could treat colorectal cancer.
Synergy with CRCHUM core facilities
Since Lim’s laboratory uses different strains of mice to test his hypotheses, his team relies on several innovative core facilities at the CRCHUM, starting with the state-ofthe-art animal facility, which holds a Certificate of Good Animal Practice from the Canadian Council on Animal Care. The small animal phenotyping and imaging core facility allows them to understand what happens when the gene responsible for the production of the 14-3-3 zeta protein is deleted or overexpressed, for example, if there is an impact on the quantity of fat cells and the carbohydrate metabolism in mice.
His team also uses state-of-the-art equipment from the cytometry, cellular imaging, molecular pathology and cellular physiology core facilities for cellular work, accelerating the timeline of their research. Additionally, the transgenesis and animal modelling core facilities prove invaluable for the derivation of mouse strains, as well as freezing and storing sperm and embryos for lineages that will be studied later
Inspiring the scientists of tomorrow
In addition to advancing knowledge on diabetes and obesity with the goal of developing more effective treatments, Lim is very pleased to help students transitioning through his lab to progress in their careers, so that they can, in turn, contribute to scientific advancements.
“Witnessing my interns’ excitement as they make discoveries, big or small, rekindles the spark in me that originally led me to research! I have always considered myself very privileged to be a researcher, because very few professions allow a person to pursue their passions and share them with others.”
— Gareth Lim
This portrait is taken from our 2023-2024 Activity Report
