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content/MEMBER balthasar nina

School of Medical Sciences
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
University Walk

BS8 1TD - Bristol
United Kingdom

+44-117-3312311 (office), +44-117-3312231 (lab)
+44 117-3312288


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Dr Nina Balthasar
Neuronal Pathways in Metabolic Control
Neuroscience at Bristol

Research Area

Obesity and its related disorders, such as diabetes, hypertension and stroke, are among the most pressing of today´s health-care concerns. However, to identify therapeutic targets, we need a much more detailed understanding of the processes leading to these pathologies. The brain holds one of the key´s: neurons in brain structures such as the hypothalamus can sense the body´s energy status and through an intricate cascade of events, elicit an appropriate response in the rest of the body.
The aim of our research is to gain more detailed insight into the neuronal pathways regulating body weight homeostasis. Using mouse models allows us to genetically manipulate novel genes that may be involved in the regulation of body weight homeostasis in specific neuronal subsets, thereby enabling us to determine the exact physiological function of genes and pathways in specific brain areas.


Publications
McHugh T.J.*, Jones M.W.*, Quinn J.J., Balthasar N., Coppari R., Elmquist J.K., Lowell B.B., Fanselow M.S., Wilson M.A. and Tonegawa S. (2007):Dentate Gyrus NMDA Receptors Mediate Rapid Pattern Separation in the Hippocampal Network...Science:317:94-99. *Equal contributors
Parton LE, Ye CP, Coppari R, Enriori PJ, Choi B, Zhang CY, Xu C, Vianna CR, Balthasar N, Lee CE, Elmquist JK, Cowley MA, Lowell BB (2007):Glucose sensing by POMC neurons regulates glucose homeostasis and is impaired in obesity..Nature:13;449(7159):228-32
P. Kievit, J. Howard, MM. Badman, N. Balthasar, R. Coppari, H. Mori, CE. Lee; JK. Elmquist, A. Joshimura, JS. Flier (2006):Enhanced leptin sensitivity and improved glucose homeostasis in mice lacking suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 in POMC neurons...Cell Metabolism:4(2):123-132.
N. Balthasar (2006):Genetic Dissection of Neuronal Pathways Controlling Energy Homeostasis..Obesity:2006; 14(Suppl 5):222S-227S.
N. Balthasar, LT. Dalgaard, CE. Lee, J. Yu, H. Funahashi, T. Williams, M. Ferreira, V. Tang, RA. McGovern, CD. Kenny, LM. Christiansen, E. Edelstein, B. Choi, O. Boss, C. Aschkenasi, CY. Zhang, K. Mountjoy, T. Kishi, JK. Elmquist and BB. Lowell (2005):Divergence of Melanocortin Pathways in the Control of Food Intake and Energy Expenditure..Cell:123(3):493-505
N. Balthasar, R. Coppari, J. McMinn, CE. Lee, V. Tang, CD. Kenny, RA. McGovern, SC. Chua Jr., JK. Elmquist and BB. Lowell (2004):Leptin receptor signaling in POMC neurons is required for normal body weight homeostasis..Neuron:42:983-991

Technical Expertise