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Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge
Dr. Carrie Elks, assistant professor
of research, works in the Matrix Biology
Laboratory at LSU’s Pennington Biomedi-
cal Research Center. She researches how
adipose tissue’s extracellular matrix affects
the body’s function and metabolism. Her
current research focuses on how cytokines
affect the function and composition of the
adipose tissue extracellular matrix, and how
alterations in the adipose tissue extracellular
matrix affect adipocyte function and insulin
sensitivity. Cytokines are proteins that have
specific effects on interactions and commu-
nications between cells. Adipocytes are the
adipose tissue cells specialized in storing
energy as fat. The main goal of the Matrix
Biology Laboratory is to study connective
proteins, obesity and diabetes, primarily fo-
cusing on fat tissue. Researchers also study
column
Research
Adipose tissue, or body fat, plays an important role in the how the
body maintains its metabolism. The global rise of obesity, along
with the increased risk for complications such as type 2 diabetes,
has intensified research on the role of adipose tissue.
Investigating
adipose tissue
homeostasis
Advances in Health
Research from
Pennington Biomedical
Research Center