Kacey Prentice (She/Her)
PhD
Our lab studies mechanisms driving diabetes pathogenesis, with a central focus on pancreatic beta cell dysfunction in both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. We investigate how disrupted communication between insulin-responsive tissues (particularly adipose tissue and liver) alters the circulating environment during the prediabetic state, increasing stress on beta cells and impairing their function. Using a combination of in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro approaches, we examine the roles of circulating metabolites, hormones, and extracellular vesicles in regulating insulin secretion, cell signaling, and metabolic homeostasis. A key objective of our work is to identify novel therapeutic targets and interventional strategies to preserve beta cell function and delay or prevent the onset of diabetes.
Faculty Appointments
Department of Physiology