Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2006

Mentor: Andrew Zinn
Department: McDermott Center
Room number: NB10.110A
Mail Code: 8591
Phone number: 81615
E-mail: Andrew.zinn@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title:

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 0401-189

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 0770-04-08-1

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects) Basic and animal-based research

Brief Description of Project:

The lab is studying the role of a hypothalamic transcription factor, Sim1, in regulating appetite. Mutations in Sim1 are one cause of human obesity. A Sim1 knockout mouse also develops obesity, and transgenic mice that overexpress Sim1 are resistant to obesity induced by other genes or a high fat diet. Medical student projects include testing the feeding behavior of Sim1 mutants and measuring the effects of Sim1 mutations on expression of other hypothalamic genes.

The lab is also looking for mutations in genes that might cause a number of other human disorders such as multiple congenital anomalies. Projects include screening candidate genes for mutations in patient DNA samples.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Anuj Goel MS1 2002. Tested behavior of Sim1 mutant mice.
Matthew Stevenson MS0 2003. Sequenced candidate genes for X-linked skin disease.
Jennifer Hawkins MS0 2004. Sequenced candidate gene for urogenital and anorectal anomalies.
Amanda Kem MS0 2005. Tested interaction of Sim1 and LXR agonists in cultured cells

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