Episode 91: Dr. Ben Bikman

<p class="" data-pm-slice="0 0 []">Dr. Bikman’s research focus is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that mediate the disruption that causes and accompanies metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. Driven by his academic training (Ph.D. in Bioenergetics and postdoctoral fellowship with the Duke-National University of Singapore in metabolic disorders), he is currently exploring the contrasting roles of insulin and ketones as key drivers of metabolic function. He frequently publishes his research in peer-reviewed journals and presents at international science meetings.</p> <p class="">The focus of Dr. Bikman’s lab (the Laboratory of Obesity and Metabolism) is twofold. First, they aim to identify the molecular mechanisms that explain the increased risk of disease that accompanies weight gain, with particular emphasis on the etiology of insulin resistance and disrupted mitochondrial function. Second, they hope to reveal novel cellular processes that are responsible for fat development and accrual, with a particular emphasis on white/brown fat and the contrasting effects of insulin and ketones.</p> <p class="">Much of the lab’s recent work is focused on the pathogenicity of the hormone insulin. Insulin, while necessary for healthy living, elicits significant and harmful changes in tissue metabolic function when chronically elevated. Several projects have stemmed from this work, including a focus on the varying effects of dietary macronutrients (e.g., carbohydrates vs. fats) on insulin homeostasis, the effects of insulin on brown adipose tissue (and metabolic rate), and insulin-induced brain alterations.</p> <p class="">The lab employs numerous pharmacological and genetic tools to better understand the origins and consequences of ceramide accumulation on various factors related to metabolic function, including signal transduction, substrate utilization, and energy expenditure.</p> <p class=""><strong>In this episode:</strong></p> <p class="">The personal/professional journey</p> <p class=