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Richard Benninger, PhD

Assistant Professor - Bioengineering
Richard Benninger

Contact Information

Office: M20 - 4306D
Telephone: 303-724-6388
E-mail: Richard.Benninger@ucdenver.edu

Research Focus

Optical microscopy; Pancreatic islet biology and biophysics; Diabetes

My research interests are to develop and apply quantitative fluorescence microscopy approaches and predictive mathematical modeling to understand how the islet of Langerhans functions.

A predictive and quantitative model is a key component in the development of any systems biology approach; to link complex data as well as to generate new hypotheses by making quantitative predictions of future experiments. We develop advanced microscopy techniques and apply these to generate quantitative data about a biological system. These data can be used to test and refine current mathematical models of the biological system, and then generate new quantitative hypotheses that can be tested.

The biological system we are studying is the islet of Langerhans. Cellular destruction or defects in hormone secretion in the islet underlie the development of diabetes: a disease afflicting over 200 million people world-wide. The islet is a multi-cellular micro organ and we are focusing on how communication between cells in the islet enhances the regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion to maintain glucose homeostasis. The overall goal is to be able to manipulate cell-cell communication to improve the regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion and to optimize islet transplantation approaches to treat and cure diabetes.

  • Developing high-sensitivity spectroscopy approaches for fluorescence microscopy using optical-switchable fluorophores and lock-in based detection. These techniques will then be applied to study protein-protein interactions and organization.
  • Imaging emergent multi-cellular dynamics in the islet of Langerhans using confocal & two-photon microscopy, microfluidic devices & fluorescent protein biosensors. Computational models will then be developed and refined to describe these dynamics and put forward testable quantitative predictions regarding the coupled behavior of the islet.
  • Understand how different mechanisms of cell-cell communication within the islet of Langerhans promote the regulation of insulin secretion. Test whether these mechanisms can be modulated to promote the regulation of insulin secretion in diabetic models of islet dysfunction.
  • Optimizing pancreatic islet function and survival for islet transplantation, by developing and applying optical screening approaches and through tissue engineering approaches.
  1. Defects in beta cell Ca(2+) signalling, glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in a murine model of K(ATP) channel-induced neonatal diabetes mellitus. Benninger RK, Remedi MS, Head WS, Ustione A, Piston DW, Nichols CG. Diabetologia. 2011 May;54(5):1087-97. Epub 2011 Jan 27.
  2. Rapid and inexpensive fabrication of polymeric microfluidic devices via toner transfer masking. Easley CJ, Benninger RK, Shaver JH, Steven Head W, Piston DW. Lab Chip. 2009 Apr 21;9(8):1119-27. Epub 2009 Jan 19.
  3. Single-photon-counting detector for increased sensitivity in two-photon laser scanning microscopy. Benninger RK, Ashby WJ, Ring EA, Piston DW. Opt Lett. 2008 Dec 15;33(24):2895-7.
  4. Gap junction coupling and calcium waves in the pancreatic islet. Benninger RK, Zhang M, Head WS, Satin LS, Piston DW. Biophys J. 2008 Dec;95(11):5048-61. Epub 2008 Sep 19.
  5. Optical lock-in detection of FRET using synthetic and genetically encoded optical switches. Mao S, Benninger RK, Yan Y, Petchprayoon C, Jackson D, Easley CJ, Piston DW, Marriott G. Biophys J. 2008 Jun;94(11):4515-24. Epub 2008 Feb 15.

Vanderbilt University. Research Instructor. 2009-2011. Molecular Physiology and Biophysics.
Vanderbilt University. Post-Doctoral Research Fellow. 2006-2009. Molecular Physiology and Biophysics.
Imperial College London. PhD. 2002-2006. Physics (Optics and Biophysics).
Imperial College London. MSci. 1998-2002. Physics