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Metabolic Genome Pharmacology Lab
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A lab that explores the treatment and prevention of obesity and diabetes by studying receptors that sense fatty acids from food and those produced by gut bacteria.
AboutAbout the lab
Signals from food and nutrition keep the body in balance
The Metabolic Genome Pharmacology Lab (Kimura Lab) studies how lipid ligands related to nutritional state and sex differences (fatty acids and sex steroid hormones) trigger rapid physiological responses through receptors on the cell membrane, focusing on biological phenomena involved in energy metabolism.
The aim is to apply this knowledge to functional foods, supplements, and drug discovery for the treatment and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
The lab's work spans physiological experiments in genetically modified mice, cell experiments, analysis of metabolites by mass spectrometry, genome analysis, and searches for substances that bind to receptors.
Key terms
- Short-chain fatty acids
- Small fatty acids, such as acetic acid, produced when gut bacteria break down dietary fiber
- GPCR
- A receptor in the cell membrane that relays signals from outside into the cell; the target of many drugs (G protein-coupled receptor)
- Sex steroid hormones
- Hormones involved in sex differences, such as estrogen and progesterone
- Medium-chain fatty acids
- Fatty acids of medium length, abundant in MCT oil and similar products
ResearchResearch themes
Starting from three entry points (food and gut bacteria, sex steroid hormones, and dietary fats and oils), the lab studies how receptors regulate energy metabolism.
*Illustrative imageShort-chain fatty acids from gut bacteria and homeostasis
The lab has shown that short-chain fatty acids, produced when gut bacteria break down dietary fiber, are involved in energy homeostasis through the receptors GPR41 and GPR43.
*Illustrative imageCell membrane receptors for sex steroid hormones
The lab was the first in the world to discover a member of the progesterone membrane receptor family, and showed that it is involved in diet-induced obesity through the nervous system.
*Illustrative imageFunctions of fats and oils and fatty acid receptors
Dietary fatty acids act as signaling molecules through GPCRs. The lab has shown, among other findings, that supplementation with medium-chain fatty acids or MCT oil slows the progression of obesity-related metabolic disease.
MembersFaculty
- ProfessorIkuo Kimura
- Assistant ProfessorAkari Nishida
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “High Fibre Foods” formulatehealth / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Short-chain fatty acids from gut bacteria and homeostasis: “Valeric-acid-3D-balls-B” Jynto and Ben Mills / Public domain (cropped)
- Cell membrane receptors for sex steroid hormones: “Progesterone-3D-balls” Jynto (talk) / CC0 (cropped)
- Functions of fats and oils and fatty acid receptors: “Olive oil from Oneglia” Lemone / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab
(シグナル薬理学): “202304 G protein-coupled receptor” DataBase Center for Life Science (DBCLS) / CC BY 4.0 (cropped) - Related lab (構造生物薬学): “OGA crystal structure dimer” Scheng23 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (生命知識工学): “Hist1 Biological Network Graph” LuAtOU / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (ケミカルバイオロジー): “Chemical biology flowchart” Bread6 / CC0 (cropped)
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