Darian Thomas
Clemson University
Maureen Gannon Lab
Previous studies have shown that in utero exposure to a western style diet results in enhanced glucose stimulated insulin secretion as well as an elevated in the beta to alpha cell ratio in offspring. My work focuses on the impact that Metformin, a popular diabetes therapeutic, has on the pancreatic development of offspring from mothers subjected to a western style diet. Through genetic studies, I will gather an understanding of the epigenomic and phenomic influence that gestational drug intake may have on the metabolic phenotype of future generations in a Non-human primate model.