Diabetes
The Boshell Diabetes/Metabolic Diseases Program regularly estimates adipose tissue volume in diabetic rodents using DEXA scanning. A high resolution MRI unit on the Auburn campus would facilitate adipose tissue quantification and allow direct imaging of the pancreatic islets in response to therapy and disease progression. Furthermore, responses to stem-cell based therapies could be monitored in longitudinal studies.
Dr. Raj Amin in the Department of Pharmacal Sciences in the Harrison School of Pharmacy studies the effects of thiazolindiones, (TZDs) upon preventing the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Previously Dr. Amin has shown that TZDs prevent many of the manifestations of diabetic cardiomyopathy, including myocardial remodeling. Dr. Amin's long term goal is to develop compounds which will prevent many of the harmful effects of type 2 diabetes upon the heart by improving cardiac energy metabolism. Utilizing the MRI for imaging increased heart mass and heart function will be paramount in determining the levels by which our compounds prevent the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy.
