Original broadcast date: January 6, 2008

How do our muscles respond to exercise? What factors contribute to better endurance and exercise capacity? How does this help understand the pathophysiology of diabetes?

A discovery reported in the September 19, 2007 issue of the journal PLoS ONE identified a mutation in a gene that is widely considered to be the major controller of energy levels in our bodies. The discovery has significant implications for people suffering from diabetes and for endurance athletes. Understanding how our bodies process energy in the form of fat and sugar can help us understand different approaches to treat diabetes and how our muscles respond to exercise.

• Dr. Mary-Ellen Harper, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, University of Ottawa and co-author of the study.