Gregory J. Morton, PhD
Title:
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition
Email Address:
Background:
Greg Morton received his PhD at Deakin University in Geelong, Australia in 2000. He then completed his post-doctoral fellowship training in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Schwartz within the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University of Washington, Seattle and is currently a Research Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence at the University of Washington.
Focus:
Dr. Morton's research focuses on studying the role of the brain in the regulation of energy balance and glucose metabolism. Specifically, his research centers on the action of the adiposity signals, insulin and leptin in the hypothalamus and examines the mechanisms and pathways by which they mediate their effects on food intake, body weight and peripheral insulin sensitivity using physiological, molecular biological, pharmacological and histochemical approaches.
Representative Publications:
German J, Wisse BE, Thaler JP, Shinsuke Oh-I, Sarruf DA, Fischer JD, Matsen ME, Taborsky Jr, GJ, Schwartz MW and Morton GJ. Leptin deficiency causes insulin resistance induced by uncontrolled diabetes. Diabetes. 2010 Apr 27 [Epub ahead of print].
German J, Kim F, Schwartz GJ, Havel PJ, Rhodes CJ, Schwartz MW, Morton GJ. Hypothalamic leptin signaling regulates hepatic insulin sensitivity via a neurocircuit involving the vagus nerve. Endocrinology. 2009 Oct;150(10):4502-11.
Kim, F., Pham, M., Maloney, E., Rizzo, N.O., Morton, G.J., Wisse, B.E., Kirk, E.A., Chait, A., and Schwartz, M.W. Vascular Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and Reduced Nitric Oxide Production Precede the Onset of Peripheral Insulin Resistance. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 28:1982-1988, 2008.
Morton, G.J., Blevins, J.E., Williams, D.L., Niswender, K.D., Gelling, R.W., Rhodes, C.J., Baskin, D.G., and Schwartz, M.W. Leptin action in the forebrain regulates the hindbrain response to satiety signals. J Clin Invest. 115:703-710, 2005.
Morton, G.J., Gelling, R.W., Niswender, K.D., Morrison, C.D., Rhodes, C.J., and Schwartz, M.W. Leptin regulates insulin sensitivity via phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase signaling in mediobasal hypothalamic neurons. Cell Metab. 2:411-420, 2005.
Niswender, K.D., Morton, G.J., Stearns, W.H., Rhodes, C.J., Myers, M.G., Jr., and Schwartz, M.W. Intracellular signalling. Key enzyme in leptin-induced anorexia. Nature. 413:794-795, 2001.
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Current Collaborations:
Within the Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence and its Affiliated Members
Denis Baskin, PhD
James E. Blevins, PhD
David Cummings, MD
Jay Heinecke, MD
Rebecca Hull, PhD
Francis Kim, MD
Steven Kahn, MB, ChB
Dianne Lattemann, PhD
Renee LeBoeuf, PhD
Michael Schwartz, MD
Jay Taborsky, PhD
Brent Wisse, MD
Outside the Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence
Peter Havel, DVM, PhD
Chris Morrison, PhD
Martin G. Myers Jr., MD, PhD
Kevin Niswender, MD, PhD
Christopher Rhodes, PhD
Gary Schwartz, PhD
Streamson Chua Jr., PhD
Lab Members:
Dr. Morton resides in the laboratory of Michael Schwartz, MD.