Dr. Imai aims to understand the mechanism underlying pancreatic β-cell failure in type 2 diabetes, including how lipid droplet proteins optimize intracellular lipid metabolism to support insulin secretion and mechanisms of islet inflammation. Her group discovered that the lipid droplet protein perilipin 5 plays an important role in supporting insulin secretion, and that it does so by regulating the metabolism of β-cell lipids. Her laboratory is defining the molecular targets of perilipin 5 act in augmenting insulin secretion, and her involvement in the Center has added considerable strength to its CFRD research, given the links between pancreatic inflammation/fibrosis/adipogenesis and islet function in the CF ferret model.