Dr. Troy Hornberger

Biography

Troy Hornberger is a Professor at the UW Comprehensive Diabetes Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His lab's research is focused on defining the mechanical signals that convert biochemical events to regulate skeletal muscle mass. Notably, his work has demonstrated that signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is necessary and sufficient for inducing hypertrophy in response to mechanical loading. Hornberger's research has shown that mechanical stimuli activate mTOR signaling through a unique phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-independent mechanism, which is distinct from the core pathways typically employed by growth factors and nutrients. In collaboration with Joshua Coon, his lab has also studied the proteomic and phosphoproteomic changes in skeletal muscle in response to contractile stimulation and muscle immobilization. Currently, Hornberger's lab is focused on defining the components of this unique mechanism. To achieve this goal, they utilize a variety of model systems that are relevant to diabetes-related research. One of their current projects includes exploring physical exercise as an effective treatment for Type II diabetes, utilizing resources such as mouse phenotyping and lipidomics cores to characterize a physiologically relevant mouse model of human resistance exercise. He expects this model, in conjunction with the lab's expertise in exercise physiology, to make a significant contribution to diabetes research at the UW campus.

Research Interests