DrPaul Crossey

Insulin, growth hormone (GH) and IGF-I comprise an important endocrine axis involved in regulating growth and metabolism. Dysregulation of this axis is a consistent pathogenic finding in disorders of insulin deficiency (type 1 diabets) and resistance (type 2 diabetes). My research interests are focused on a family of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) which regulate IGF bioavailability and thus bioactivity. One of these IGFBPs, IGFBP-1, is directly regulated by insulin in a manner that suggests its plays a key role in co-ordinating the metabolic actions of IGF-I and insulin in relation to nutritional status. Reduced IGF-I bioavailability is a feature of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and there is growing evidence that this is an important factor in the pathophysiology of these disorders. Our research strategy utilises in vivo methodologies in genetically modified mouse models to derive important insights into the role of IGF-I in diabetes and its sequelae and to explore if manipulation of the growth hormone/IGF-I axis may be a viable therapeutic approach for treatment of these disorders.