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Institute of Metabolic Science

Metabolic Research Laboratories

The Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories (IMS-MRL) and its embedded Medical Research Council (MRC) Metabolic Diseases Unit investigate the mechanisms through which metabolic health is maintained and how this is disturbed in disease. We seek to use that knowledge to aid better treatment and prevention of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and related endocrine and metabolic diseases.

IMS-MRL research groups encompass skills in genetics, cell biology, cell signalling, neuroendocrinology, bioenergetics, human and animal physiology, experimental medicine and clinical trials.

Read more at: Our Research
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Our Research

Research at the Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories is dedicated to understanding the mechanisms responsible for obesity and related metabolic diseases, with the specific aims of undertaking high quality basic science and clinical research to improve understanding of, and...


Read more at: Study with us
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Study with us

The Institute of Metabolic Science offers a world class environment for research in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Training graduate students for a scientific career is a priority at the IMS-MRL. We have a mixture of both basic science students and clinical trainees and aim to...



Latest news

Setmelanotide now licensed to treat children with genetic obesity from age 2

11 December 2024

The Farooqi team recently worked with colleagues across the world to complete a 12 month Phase 3 clinical trial of the Melanocortin 4 receptor agonist, Setmelanotide, in very young children (aged 2-5 years) with severe obesity due to genetic conditions which disrupt the function of the hypothalamic melanocortin pathway...

Stephen O'Rahilly receives an award at international lipodystrophy symposium

19 November 2024

Congratulations to Professor Stephen O’Rahilly who was presented with the Celia Carrión Pérez de Tudela Award in Lipodystrophy Research while at the AELIP 12th International Lipodystrophy Symposium in Santiago de Compostela, Spain earlier this month.

Julia Ware awarded the 2024 Milo Keynes Prize for PhD Thesis

11 November 2024

Congratulations to Dr Julia Ware (Hovorka group) who has been awarded the Milo Keynes Prize for the academic year 2024, on submission of her PhD thesis - The impact of closed-loop insulin delivery on glucose control in children and young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus: Longer-term benefits across the paediatric age-...