DrOpeolu O. Ojo

My research centres on drug discovery for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and understanding factors which contribute to the aetiology of the disease. Research themes include:

•Discovery, targets and actions of novel antidiabetic agents: Research under this theme consolidates my existing research in drug development by focusing on the isolation and characterization of novel antidiabetic agents from natural sources as well as in silico design of hybrid peptides and novel analogues of endogenous and exogenous peptides. The focus is the elucidation of sites, mode of actions and potential therapeutic roles of these peptides in correcting defective insulin secretion in diabetes.

•Regulation of non-classical beta cell receptors and implications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes: Research under this theme focuses on the investigation of the role of non-classical beta cell receptors (e.g. oestrogen receptors) on parameters such as beta cells secretory functions, proliferation, survival as well as understanding the role of environmental endocrine disruptors (such as bisphenol A, pesticides etc) on the development of type 2 diabetes and the development and assessment of therapeutic potentials of agonists/antagonists of oestrogen receptors

•Epigenetic factors in the development of type 2 diabetes: I am interested in using advanced genomic tools to understand environmental and genetic factors that predispose people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background to the development of type 2 diabetes.