Mark Atkinson, PhD

From University of Florida website:

The research program of Dr. Atkinson is broad in scope, but is ultimately directed at identifying a prevention and/or cure for type 1 (i.e., insulin dependent, juvenile) diabetes. Key to achieving this goal is an improved understanding of the interactions between environmental, immunologic, and genetic factors that underlie the inability to form immunological tolerance to the insulin secreting pancreatic beta cells.  In order to achieve this goal, four avenues of research are actively pursued.  The first is that of identifying potential environmental agents (e.g., viruses, diet) that may either directly initiate or modify the progression towards diabetes.  The second involves immunogenetics; identifying abnormalities in the humoral and cellular immune response which in association with genetic susceptibility, influence the progression to disease.  It is hoped that these factors may be utilized as markers for predicting future cases of diabetes.  The third involves that of type 2 diabetes in children and the role that obesity might have on the development of type 1 diabetes. To this aim, studies on the immunological properties of leptin are pursued. Finally, the laboratory seeks to directly define methods (e.g., immunointervention with self-antigens, gene therapy) for disease prevention in non-diabetic subjects identified to be at increased-risk for the disease, or diabetic subjects through pancreatic transplantation in association with novel forms of immunotherapy.