Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
 

Kostas Tsintzas

Professor of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

Contact

  • workRoom D62a The University of Nottingham Medical School
    Queen's Medical Centre
    Nottingham
    NG7 2UH
    UK
  • work0115 82 30127
  • fax0115 82 30103

Research Summary

Interests

  • Molecular basis of insulin resistance in obesity, diabetes and ageing
  • Nutrient-gene interactions in skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissue
  • Regulation of substrate integration in skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissue
  • Nutrition and exercise in health and disease

Techniques

  • Determination of skeletal muscle and cardiovascular function.
  • Measurements of insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure and body composition.
  • Use of hormone, lipid, and tracer infusions to assess metabolic health
  • Determination of blood, liver and muscle metabolites and enzyme activities (fluorescence, spectrophotometry and radioimmunoassays).
  • Microassays for single muscle fibre metabolites (fluorescence, radioisotopes, histochemistry).
  • Characterisation of RNA and protein in skeletal muscle (Real-Time PCR, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting).
  • Use of primary human skeletal muscle culture

Current Projects

  • Increasing skeletal muscle carnitine content to improve glycaemic control in individuals recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes

  • Effects of lipid-induced insulin resistance on human skeletal muscle protein turnover

  • Skeletal muscle metabolism and gene expression in young and older subjects following recovery from exercise

  • The role of FGF21 in the control of energy metabolism, food intake and body weight

  • Effects of ageing and vitamin D deficiency on vitamin D receptor in human skeletal muscle

  • Effects of skipping breakfast on metabolic health of middle aged lean and overweight individuals

Collaborators

  • Dr Andy Bennett
  • Dr Andy Murton
  • Dr Tim Parr
  • Dr Francis Stephens
  • Prof. Fran Ebling
  • Prof. Paul Greenhaff
  • Prof. Ian Macdonald
  • Prof. Opinder Sahota
  • Dr James Betts (University of Bath)
  • Dr Simon Jones (University of Birmingham)
  • Prof. Luc vanLoon (University of Maastricht)
  • Prof. Jeremy Tomlinson (University of Birmingham)

Selected Publications

Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience

School of Life Sciences
University of Nottingham
Medical School
Queen's Medical Centre
Nottingham NG7 2UH