Sandhya S. ThomasAssistant Professor of Medicine, Selzman Institute for Kidney Health, Houston, USA
Research Interest
My research goal is directed at identifying novel mechanisms that contribute to the insulin resistance commonly found in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Classic studies by DeFronzo et al. documented that advanced CKD causes insulin resistance by interfering with glucose uptake by ?peripheral? tissues; insulin binding to its receptor was deemed ?normal?. The mechanism by which CKD interferes with insulin-initiated intracellular signaling includes responses to inflammation by complex pathways. Recently, it has been documented that patients with mild degrees of CKD with near normal creatinine levels as well as dialysis patients display insulin resistance. The consequences of insulin resistance include defects in carbohydrat, lipid, and protein metabolism resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. I have chosen to study how CKD or diabetes causes insulin resistance and whether the mechanism depends on inflammation. Specifically, I am exploring cellular mechanisms by which the inflammation that occurs frequently in CKD or diabetes interferes with insulin-initiated intracellular signaling