I am involved in two different projects, both related to the understanding of gene transcriptional mechanisms in the beta cells of the pancreas and its misregulation during the development of diabetes.

Project 1: 
We are investigating the molecular basis of the hereditary disease "Maturity-onset diabetes of the young" (MODY). Single gene mutations in specific transcription factors, e.g. HNF1A and HNF1B, can lead to MODY. We use protein biochemistry and molecular biology to characterize the molecular effects of HNF1A and -1B mutations to better classify variants regarding pathogenicity and disease causality. Our studies improve personalized medicine approaches in the diabetes clinic.

Project 2: 
The development, maturation and function of differentiated pancreatic beta cells depend on a tightly regulated gene transcriptional network controlled by a variety of transcription factors. In this project, we investigate protein-protein interactions between beta-cell transcription factors and their functional role in achieving sufficient glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Insight into these mechanisms and their potential misregulation during diabetes may provide a basis for future development of novel diabetes drugs.

Student supervision

2021 - 2022 
Co-supervisor for MSc. student, Ingrid Lundal (Department of Biomedicine, UiB).

2020 
Co-supervisor for two students in the MSc. BMED320 project course, Marcus Langeland Larsen Nygård & Rezan Erman (Department of Biomedicine, UiB).

Kind L., Molnes J., Tjora E., Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Colclough K., Saint-Martin C., Adelfalk C., Dusatkova P., Pruhova S., Valtonen-Andre C., Bellanne-Chantelot C., Arnesen T., Kursula P., Njølstad P.R. (2024) Molecular mechanism of HNF-1A mediated HNF4A gene regulation and promoter-driven HNF4A-MODY diabetes. JCI Insight. DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.175278

Kind L., Driver M., Raasakka A., Onck P.R., Njølstad P.R., Arnesen T. & Kursula P. (2023) Structural properties of the HNF-1A transactivation domain. Front Mol Biosci. DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1249939

Kind L., Raasakka A., Molnes J., Aukrust I., Bjørkhaug L., Njølstad P.R., Kursula P. & Arnesen T. (2022) Structural and biophysical characterization of transcription factor HNF-1A as a tool to study MODY3 diabetes variants. J Biol Chem. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101803

Ree R.*, Kind L.*, Kaziales A., Varland S., Dai M., Richter K., Drazic A. and Arnesen T. (2020) PFN2 and NAA80 cooperate to efficiently acetylate the N-terminus of actin. J Biol Chem. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA120.015468

Horne C.R., Kind L., Davies J.S., Dobson R.C.J. (2019) On the structure and function of Escherichia coli YjhC: An oxidoreductase involved in bacterial sialic acid metabolism. Proteins 88(5):654-668. DOI: 10.1002/prot.25846

Kind, L. & Kursula, P. (2019) Structural properties and role of the endocannabinoid lipases ABHD6 and ABHD12 in lipid signalling and disease. Amino Acids 51:151. DOI:10.1007/s00726-018-2682-8