Sex-specific differences in metabolic homeostasis

The insulin signaling pathway is important to regulate various physiological processes including the control of body size, metabolic homeostasis, stress, life span and fecundity. Important differences exist between females and males but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. The current proposal aims to identify genes and decipher mechanisms that govern sex-specific differences in metabolic homeostasis. We will make use of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster and its extensive genetic toolkit to do so. We expect this to lead to novel insights that are not only relevant for fruitfly research but also for improving our understanding of basic mechanisms that regulate sex-specific differences in metabolic homeostasis in other species, from insects to humans. Consequently, these insights will also contribute to a better understanding and possibly novel therapeutic approaches for disorders such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.