Biomedical researchers at Ohio University are leading an effort to uncover the clinical significance of a protein that is pivotal in fueling skeletal muscle, regulating exercise endurance, and enhancing insulin sensitivity. This groundbreaking research has been awarded a $2.6 million RO1 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), enabling the team to investigate the previously unrecognized role of fat-specific protein 27 (FSP27)(opens in a new window) in skeletal muscle. The funding will support various research activities, including advanced training of students and fellows.
FSP27 was first identified by Vishwajeet Puri, Ph.D., a professor of Biomedical Sciences at Ohio University and the principal investigator of the project. Puri’s contributions to biomedical science have been continuously funded by the NIH since he started his independent research program in 2009. Remarkably, Puri has received six R01 grants from the NIH over the past nine years.
Puri initially identified FSP27 in human fat tissue, where it was found to regulate fat metabolism. Further investigations revealed that FSP27 is also present in skeletal muscle tissue…