Professor Cowley returns to Melbourne after ten years in the US, more recently as Associate Professor in the Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton US where he specialised in research into obesity.
Professor Cowley was awarded a VESKI Innovation Fellowship in early 2008. Professor Cowley has established his laboratory at Monash University as part of the Monash Obesity Initiative.
Research Project Title: Re-establishing glucose sensing in α-MSH cells to treat diabetes
Research Project Description: Professor Cowley and his team recently discovered that a specific group of neurons in the brain detects blood sugar levels and these are probably master cells regulating metabolism (Parton et al., 2007),. These cells produce a transmitter (that can also act as a hormone) called melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and this regulates the production of glucose by the liver and the use of glucose by tissues in the body. How α-MSH does this is unknown, but the researchers do know stimulation of α-MSH secretion in response to glucose normalizes blood sugar levels in obese diabetic mice. They have recently uncovered evidence in human liver transplant patients that the brain regulates glucose secretion from the liver in humans too.