A new route for regulating blood sugar levels independent of insulin
The discovery of insulin 100 years ago opened a door that would lead to life and hope for millions of people with diabetes. Since then, insulin, produced in the pancreas, has been considered the primary means of treating conditions characterized by high blood glucose, such as diabetes. Now, Professor Ronald Evans, first author Gencer Sancar and colleagues have discovered a second molecule called FGF1 that is produced in fat tissue and, like insulin, also potently and rapidly regulates blood glucose. Their finding could lead to the development of new diabetes therapies, and also lays the foundation for promising new avenues in metabolism research.
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Connecting the dots—From the immune system to the brain and back againBy collaborating across disciplines like genetics, neuroscience, and immunology, Salk scientists are uniquely positioned to lead us into a future of healthier aging and effective therapeutics for Alzheimer’s.
Salk mourns the loss of Joanne ChorySalk Professor Joanne Chory, one of the world’s preeminent plant biologists who led the charge to mitigate climate change with plant-based solutions, died on November 12, 2024, at the age of 69 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. 
Talmo Pereira—From video game bots to leading-edge AI toolsTalmo Pereira is a Salk Fellow, a unique role that empowers scientists to move straight from graduate school to leading their own research groups without postdoctoral training.
Kay Watt—From Peace Corps to plant scienceAt the heart of the Harnessing Plants Initiative is Program Manager Kay Watt who tackles all of the strategy, site operations, budgeting, reporting, communication, and outreach that keep the whole program on track. 
Pau Esparza-Moltó—Seeing mitochondria as more than just a powerhousePau Esparza-Moltó, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Gerald Shadel’s lab, finds comfort in the similarities between his hometown in Spain and San Diego, where he now studies cell-powering mitochondria.
Salk summer programs bring equity and opportunity to the STEM career pipelineThe Salk Institute recently hosted two inaugural events designed to enhance diversity within the scientific community: the Rising Stars Symposium and the Diverse Inclusive Scientific Community Offering a Vision for an Ecosystem Reimagined (DISCOVER) Symposium.
