Charles Heilig, MD

Dr. Charles Heilig’s research examines the roles of facilitative glucose transporters (GLUTs) in the development of diabetic and nondiabetic glomerulosclerosis, diabetic embryopathy, embryonic kidney development and the GLUT1-Deficiency Syndrome. High glucose, cytokines and potentially mesangial stretch in diabetic glomeruli stimulate glucose uptake into mesangial cells which could lead to glomerulosclerosis. Dr. Heilig’s laboratory produces genetically altered mouse and cell models to investigate the different conditions described above and to define the pathogenesis of each. More recently he has investigated the roles of glucose transporters in glomerulosclerosis occurring in nondiabetic renal diseases where cytokines similar to those activated in diabetic glomeruli, and mesangial cell stretch, may act on glucose transporters to stimulate the glomerular scarring process.