UF pharmacy researcher receives federal grant to expand research on obesity

University of Florida pharmacy researcher Carrie Haskell-Luevano, Ph.D., has received nearly $1 million in federal funding to continue her ongoing studies of obesity.

Haskell-Luevano, an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry at UF’s College of Pharmacy, will use the four-year National Institutes of Health grant to study the molecular interactions of two proteins linked to overeating and the body’s ability to regulate energy levels. She hopes a better understanding of cellular mechanics will help scientists develop new treatments for obesity.

In the next phase of her research, Haskell-Luevano will produce synthetic versions of the proteins, which normally are found in the brain, and conduct studies in cell culture to learn how these proteins interact with a receptor site within cell membranes.

Obesity, which afflicts millions worldwide, has been identified as a risk factor for several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and stroke, Haskell-Luevano said. Eventually she hopes to apply her findings to the design of drugs aimed at preventing or better treating obesity.