The worldwide prevalence of obesity is increasing, and so is related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Understanding mechanisms underlying these diseases might lead to new options for prevention and/or treatment. The researchers associated with this study are particularly interested in the hormone glucagon derived from the pancreas and its roles in development of metabolic diseases. Both activation and inhibition of its receptor, the glucagon receptor, is being investigate as potential drugs of obesity and type 2 diabetes, respectively. In the proposed research project, we plan to investigate whether genetic variants of the glucagon receptor with particularly high/low activity are associated to medical conditions. We will explore associations to factors such as BMI, liver fat, and reported diseases.
The project is planned to run for three years.