Francoise Koumanov

Francoise Koumanov is a Reader (equivalent to Associate Professor) in the Department for Health at the University of Bath, where she is affiliated with the Centre for Therapeutic Innovation and the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism (CNEM). She holds a PhD from Université Grenoble Alpes (awarded January 1, 1996) and maintains an active research program with numerous current projects funded by organizations including the MRC and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Her primary research interests focus on insulin and exercise signaling, insulin resistance, and glucose metabolism in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. She has spent several years investigating the mechanism of glucose transporter (GLUT4) vesicle trafficking, with particular emphasis on identifying the small GTPases of the Rab family of proteins responsible for insulin-induced GLUT4 translocation. Her work employs a cross-disciplinary approach combining cellular and molecular studies with human intervention studies to translate molecular findings into whole-body physiological functions.

Dr. Koumanov's research has significant implications for understanding the development of peripheral tissue insulin resistance and for developing targeted therapies for insulin-resistant subjects and people with type 2 diabetes. Her recent publications span topics including gut microbiome responses to diet and exercise, ketogenic diets, GLP-1 secretion, and standardization methodologies in human physiology research.

• Honorary Lecturer (2023)

She serves as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Endocrinology and actively supervises doctoral students, with current supervision extending through 2027. Her research group investigates the cross-talk between chronic inflammation, obesity, and the onset of type 2 diabetes, working with both cellular models of adipose cells and human intervention studies.