Illuminating Endogenous Incretin Receptor Signalling in Pancreatic Islets

David J Hodson, PhD
Robert Turner Professor of Diabetic Medicine
Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)
Radcliffe Department of Medicine
University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom

This conference is hosted by Mathieu Ferron, PhD. This conference is part of the 2025-2026 IRCM conference calendar.

About this conference
Incretin receptors play central roles in pancreatic islet biology, yet studying their endogenous signalling dynamics in intact tissue remains challenging. In this talk, I will present new technologies that enable visualization and interrogation of endogenous incretin receptor signalling. Applying these approaches, we have uncovered previously unrecognized mechanisms of communication between α-cells and β-cells that control insulin secretion. Finally, I will discuss how these methods have enabled the identification of a new circulating regulator of the GLP-1 receptor, with potential translational relevance for diabetes and obesity.

About David J Hodson
Professor David Hodson is the Robert Turner Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the University of Oxford and Director of the Bukhman Centre for Research Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes, which brings together expertise in medical sciences, chemistry, bioengineering, and computer science to drive cross-disciplinary research in type 1 diabetes. His laboratory develops innovative technologies to investigate GPCR signalling in metabolic tissues, with the goal of addressing fundamental questions in cellular metabolism and translating these discoveries to human disease. The lab focuses on the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) receptors, two closely related class B GPCRs that have emerged as major therapeutic targets for diabetes and obesity. Their work aims to define where and how these receptors signal within complex tissues such as the pancreas and brain, and how their activity shapes metabolism, appetite, and inflammation.

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