University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Texas

— -- My name is a Manisha Chandalia, and I am an endocrinologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Here at the UT Southwestern, we established the center for human nutrition 26 years ago, where we study all aspects of human metabolism including diabetes, obesity, and clinical nutrition.

Diabetes is the third greatest cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer. It makes atherosclerosis worse, and damages the eyes, kidney, nervous system, and circulation. Investigators here at UT Southwestern have made wider contributions to improve management of metabolic abnormalities present in patients with adult onset diabetes.

Some of our diabetes-related research focuses on metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance usually occurs with increasing obesity and physical inactivity in the average population. However, we are trying to understand differences in insulin resistance among populations with a slight increase in normal body mass index. Recent research suggests that fat cell dysfunction plays an important role in insulin resistance. We are doing research to double-up tests that will more accurately assess a patient's risk for type 2 diabetes rather than standard measures such as body mass index and weight.