Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2008

Mentor: Ildiko Lingvay, MD, MPH
Department: Internal Medicine
Room number: J6.110
Mail Code: 8858
Phone number: 214-648-2779
E-mail: Ildiko.lingvay@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: Does pancreatic steatosis lead to type 2 diabetes?

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 042007-021

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

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)
Patient-based research

Brief Description of Project:

Fat accumulation in the pancreas may be one of the mechanisms leading to beta-cell dysfunction and type 2 diabetes. We use a magnetic resonance spectroscopy method to measure the fat content in the pancreas, and a method called Frequently Sampled IV Glucose Tolerance Test to measure insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. Our goal is to find out if there is a relationship between insulin secretion and the amount of fat that accumulates in the body. We would also like to see if volunteers with diabetes have a higher pancreatic fat content when compared to matched volunteers without diabetes.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Summer 2004 - Megan Terese - presented poster at Student Forum
Summer 2006 - Lucas Reed; Selene Bantz - presented poster at Student Forum
Summer 2006 - Tanzim Ludhi; Nikki Garg - had oral presentation at Student Forum