Dr. David C.W. Lau BSc (Toronto), PhD (Toronto) MD (Toronto) FRPC(C) Professor, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology Chair – Diabetes & Endocrine Research Gro Area of Research – My research programs include the characterization of novel adipose-cell derived paracrine/ autocrine factors and genes that influence preadipose cell growth; the positive and negative regulators of adipose tissue growth. Over the last several years, our research using cultured adipocytes and preadipocytes from lean and obese rodents and humans was pursued along the following themes: 1. Characterization of adipose tissue-derived paracrine/autocrine factors that stimulate preadipocyte differentiation and replication including; a) partial identification and characterization of a novel mature adipocyte-derived paracrine factor that induces preadipocyte differentiation. This work also led to the development of a novel method for studying preadipocyte differentiation in vitro, without using added hormonal and substrate mixture; b) soluble matrices from microvascular endothelial cells induce preadipocyte differentiation; c) adipocyte-derived mitogenic factors that stimulates preadipocyte proliferation; 2. Interplay between dietary and genetic factors on nutrient partitioning & adipose tissue growth. 3. Role of cytokines, nitric oxide and eicosanoids in the positive and negative control of regional and total adipose tissue and in insulin resistance. We postulated that obesity precedes the development of insulin resistance due partly to triacylglycerol accretion in muscle cells. The in vivo work was performed in the genetically obese JCR:LA-corpulent rats, in collaboration with Dr. Jim Russell at the University of Alberta, which confirmed our in vitro data. This work underscores the importance of obesity in the genesis of insulin resistance in the animal model of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. I am also involved in several clinical drug trials in obesity and diabetes treatment and prevention. More recently I have become involved in population health research, specifically in developing and implementing strategies towards prevention of adult and childhood obesity, and the related complications. I was also responsible for leadership in guiding the clinical practice guideline process and publication of the world’s first comprehensive evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the management and prevention of obesity in adults and children. This work resulted in several publications that appeared in the prestigious Canada Medical Association Journal. The full document of the clinical practice guidelines (130 pages) was published online and is available through the CMAJ web site.