Monique Heitmeier

Monique Heitmeier

Research Lab Manager

Monique Heitmeier is utilizing HIV protease inhibitors that inhibit GLUT1 and/or GLU4 as pharmacological tools to determine how altered glucose homeostasis affects disease pathogenesis in mouse models of heart failure and cancer. Current efforts are focused on determining whether altered glucose metabolism affects the unfolded protein/ER stress response in these models, and how modulation of these pathways impacts the observed phenotype.

Rich Hresko

Rich Hresko

Senior Scientist

Rich is investigating structure/function relationships in GLUT1 and GLUT4. He is utilizing state-of-the-art methodologies to perform solution-state structural analysis. A major focus of his current work is to identify and characterize GLUT4 interacting proteins that may regulate the activity and/or cellular trafficking of glucose transporters.

Thomas Kraft

Thomas Kraft

Graduate Student

Thomas Kraft is working on solution-state structural analysis of facilitative glucose transport proteins. He is developing novel methodologies for the stable expression and purification of GLUTs. His research is currently funded by a grant from the Children’s Discovery Institute

Maria Payne

Maria Payne

Research Specialist

Maria Payne has extensive experience in metabolic measurements in rodents. She is assisting in a number of studies aimed at determining the effects of altered glucose homeostasis on cardiac function. Her current efforts include the study of beneficial effects of incretin hormones in the failing heart.