Skip to Content

Cummings_D_03[1]

David E. Cummings, M.D.

Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition

Professor of Medicine


Focus

Neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating appetite, body weight, and glucose homeostasis. Specific areas of study include the following: 1) Characterizing roles of the orexigenic hormone ghrelin in energy balance and glucose homeostasis; 2) Clarifying hormonal mechanisms that contribute to weight loss and diabetes resolution after bariatric surgery; and 3) Understanding the interplay between homeostatic and hedonic pathways in the regulation of food intake.


Publications

Cummings DE, Brandon EP, Planas J, Idzerda R, McKnight GS: Genetically lean mice derived by targeted disruption of the RIIbsubunit of protein kinase A.  Nature 382:622-626, 1996.

Cummings DE, Purnell JQ, Frayo RS, Schmidova K, Wisse BE, Weigle DS:  A preprandial rise in plasma ghrelin levels suggests a role in meal initiation in humans.  Diabetes 50:1714-1719, 2001.

Wisse B, Frayo S, Schwartz MS, Cummings DE:  Reversal of cancer anorexia by blockade of central melanocortin receptors in rats.  Endocrinology 142:3292-3301, 2001.

Cummings DE, Weigle DS, Frayo RS, Breen PA, Ma MK, Dellinger EP, Purnell JQ:  Human plasma ghrelin levels after diet-induced weight loss or gastric bypass surgery.  New Engl J Med346:1623-1630, 2002.

Cummings DE, Clement K, Purnell JQ, Vaisse C, Foster KE, Frayo RS, Schwartz MW, Basdevant A, Weigle DS:  Elevated plasma ghrelin levels in Prader-Willi syndrome.  Nature Medicine8:643-644, 2002.

Overduin J, Frayo RS, Grill HJ, Kaplan JM, Cummings DE:  Role of the duodenum and macronutrient type in ghrelin regulation.  Endocrinology 146:845-850, 2005.

Cummings DE:  Gastric bypass and nesidioblastosis – too much of a good thing for islets?  New Engl J Med 353:300-302, 2005.

Cummings DE, Foster-Schubert KE, Overduin J:  Ghrelin and the short- and long-term regulation of appetite and body weight.  Physiol Behav 89:71-84, 2006.

Morton GJ, Cummings DE, Baskin DG, Barsh GS, Schwartz MW:  Central nervous system control of food intake and body weight.  Nature 443:289-295, 2006.

Foster-Schubert KE, Cummings DE:  Emerging therapeutic strategies for obesity.  Endocr Reviews 27:779-793, 2006.

Erdie-Lalena CR, Holm VA, Kelly PC, Frayo RS, Cummings DE: Ghrelin levels in young children with Prader-Willi syndrome.  J Pediatr 149:199-204, 2006.

Cummings DE, Overduin J, Foster-Schubert KE, Carlson MJ: Role of the bypassed proximal intestine in the anti-diabetic effects of bariatric surgery.  Surg Obes Relat Dis 3:109-115, 2007.

Cummings DE, Overduin J:  Gastrointestinal regulation of food intake.  J Clin Invest 117:13-23, 2007.