Kendall J. Blumer, PhD

Research Interest

Signal Transduction/Hormone Action

Category(ies) of Research

Basic

Description of Research

The Blumer lab studies signal transduction by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which have broad relevance to diabetes. Current NIH-funded projects focus on GPCR signaling regulation by reversible palmitoylation, and the design of bioavailable inhibitors that target specific classes of G protein alpha-subunits to provide novel probes of G protein function and lead compounds for
drug discovery in a wide range of diseases including diabetes. In the former project we have recently identified a novel palmitoylation regulatory enzyme, and in the latter we have identified a potent, bioavailable and specific inhibitor of the Gq/11 class of G protein alpha-subunits, both of which we wish to probe in mouse physiology and models of diabetes.