Metabolism Core

Director:  Barbara A. Gower, PhD

Department/Center Association:  Clinical Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Established:  June 2000

 

Mission

            The Metabolism Core of the Clinical Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) supports research studies related to nutrition and metabolism. 

Facility Description

            Located in the Webb Nutrition Sciences Building, the laboratory offers approximately 4,000 square feet of lab space for assessments of energy expenditure (short-term and free-living), fuel utilization, body composition (4-compartment model), hormone/substrate assays, and insulin sensitivity testing for pediatric and adult subjects.  The Core and its related laboratory facilities offer the following resources and services.

The Human Energy Expenditure and Body Composition resources offer a respiration chamber for measurements of 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate oxidation; IRMS and GC/MS for assessment of stable isotopes (mainly O18 and deuterium), including assessment of total body water and free-living energy expenditure by doubly-labeled water; underwater weighing and air displacement plethysmography for body composition assessment; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for assessment of total and regional body composition; and analysis of intra-abdominal adipose tissue from computed tomography (CT) scans performed at the Department of Radiology.   

Hormone/Substrate Analyses resources are available for the following: insulin, glucose, computerized analysis of insulin sensitivity using Bergman minimal model technique, leptin, and steroid hormones (estradiol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA-S, cortisol).  Many of these analyses also can be performed in sera from rodent models.

Services and Fees  

Core services are available to investigators studying aspects of nutrition or metabolism.  Contact the Core Director for current fee information. 

 

Contact Information

            Director:  Barbara A. Gower, PhD

            Email:  bgower@uab.edu

Phone:  205-934-4087

Web Site:  http://www.gcrc.uab.edu/MetabolicLab.htm   

 

 

Approved by:  Barbara A. Gower, PhD, Director
Date:  March 4, 2008

 

 

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