The Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center (AIMRC) is an NIH-designated Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) established in April 2021 at the University of Arkansas with Phase I funding from NIGMS (P20GM139768).
Metabolism plays a key role in human health. Dysregulation of metabolism is responsible for several pathological conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, wound healing, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s. Metabolic research encompasses studies involving a broad range of chemical reactions needed for the conversion of food/molecules to energy, the elimination of waste products, and the conversion of molecules to building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. This work can focus on the level of the whole organism, specific tissues, individual cells, or individual organelles, such as mitochondria (the energy producing “powerhouses” of the cell). Research conducted within the AIMRC largely focuses on understanding changes in metabolism at the tissue and cellular level, and how these changes impact disease, aging, and tissue repair.
By elucidating the complex relationship between metabolism and different disease states using established bioenergetics assays, advanced label-free imaging technology and cutting-edge data science approaches, novel therapeutic targets and mechanistic insights can be identified to establish new treatment approaches for a variety of diseases.
