The Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center in collaboration with WECARE, an initiative within the College of Education and Health Professions, is pleased to host Juleen Zierath, professor of clinical integrative physiology at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, at 12:55 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at the Jerry and Gene Jones Family Student-Athlete Success Center, room 104.

Zierath will discuss her research that explores the cellular mechanisms behind insulin resistance in Type II diabetes. She also investigates how exercise impacts skeletal muscle glucose metabolism and gene expression.

Abstract: Skeletal muscle is a central player in locomotion and systemic metabolism, particularly in glucose regulation. Type 2 diabetes and obesity are associated with insulin resistance and muscle dysfunction, often exacerbated by sarcopenic obesity. Exercise is a proven intervention to counteract these declines, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying its benefits remain incompletely understood. Emerging research highlights the dynamic and time-dependent molecular responses in skeletal muscle following exercise, including waves of transcriptional, proteomic and metabolic changes. Integration of multi-omics approaches is revealing new insights into how skeletal muscle interacts with other organs to maintain energy homeostasis. However, individual variability in exercise response underscores the need for precision exercise strategies tailored to genetic, epigenetic, environmental and phenotypic factors. By mapping the molecular landscape of exercise adaptation, researchers aim to identify therapeutic targets to enhance insulin sensitivity, prevent metabolic dysfunction and inform personalized interventions. Despite ongoing challenges, understanding the intricate biology of exercise holds promise for innovative strategies to combat Type 2 diabetes and related disorders, supporting the mantra that "exercise is medicine."

Biography: Zierath is a professor of clinical integrative physiology at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and professor and executive director at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen. She is a member of the Nobel Assembly for Physiology or Medicine, the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, the European Molecular Biology Organization and Academia Europaea. She is former chair of the Nobel Committee and past president of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Zierath has received several awards, including the EASD-Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence, the Harold Rifkin Award for Distinguished International Service in the Cause of Diabetes from ADA, the Bernard Medal and Minkowski Prize from EASD and a Distinguished Alumnus Award and Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Zierath graduated with an M.A. in exercise physiology from Ball State University in 1986 and a Ph.D. in medical science from the Karolinska Institute in 1995. She performs translational research to delineate mechanisms for Type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. Her current work is focused on the interaction between circadian rhythms and exercise training and the control of metabolism in diabetes and obesity.

This event is supported by NIGMS of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20GM139768. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

This seminar is co-hosted by WECARE, an initiative within the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A, which promotes interdisciplinary research, education and outreach to advance wellness and care in communities.

Light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be available before the seminar.

For those unable to attend in person, this seminar will also be available via Zoom. Please contact Kimberley Fuller, fullerk@uark.edu, for more information.