Project 467064

Skeletal muscle is important for supporting our normal daily activities through maintaining posture and allowing movement. It also helps to regulate blood sugar in our bodies, and when muscles are damaged, this can contribute to diseases like diabetes. Interestingly, our gene of interest, B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) has been found in skeletal muscle but its role in this tissue is entirely unknown. Researchers have previously shown Bcl6 in other tissues like fat may be protective against diabetes. Thus, Bcl6 in skeletal muscle may also affect diabetes. At the same time, Bcl6 may play an important role in muscle growth and function. Thus, we will use a mouse model with Bcl6 deleted specifically in their muscles to better understand what role Bcl6 plays in muscle. The results of our research study could potentially lead to the development of new strategies to treat diabetes and muscle diseases.