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Nicolas has a B.S. in Biology from Case Western Reserve University. When he’s not in the lab, you can find Nicolas at the campus pottery studio, tending to his succulents, or out with friends.
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) has increased five percent yearly over the past decade, yet young adults with Down syndrome have a ten-fold higher probability. Although elevated BMI at younger ages may contribute to this increased risk for T2D, the trisomy of Dyrk1a and Rcan1 on chromosome 21, previously shown to decrease beta cell proliferation when overexpressed, represents a novel genetic explanation. We hypothesize that genetically stunted beta cell proliferation during metabolic stress increases the risk of T2D for individuals with Down syndrome. Utilizing the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome, I aim to distinguish the rate of pancreatic islet proliferation during metabolic stress and determine why it differs from wild-type mice.