A Glucagon Pump for Low Blood Sugar After Weight Loss Surgery
Official title: Glucagon Pump Therapy for Post-Bariatric Hypoglycemia: Merging Physiology and Engineering
Funded at Joslin Diabetes Center · NIH-11146766 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a special pump that delivers glucagon to help people who experience dangerously low blood sugar after bariatric surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Joslin Diabetes Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $715,307 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137518-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11146766 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future studies would be individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery and experience recurrent episodes of severe low blood sugar.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience low blood sugar after bariatric surgery or those with other forms of diabetes not related to bariatric surgery may not benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
Many people who have bariatric surgery for weight loss and diabetes improvement can later develop severe low blood sugar, called post-bariatric hypoglycemia (PBH), which current treatments don't fully control. This can be very dangerous, especially if someone doesn't feel the warning signs. Our team is working to create a closed-loop system that uses a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to detect when blood sugar is dropping too low. When this happens, the system will automatically deliver a small amount of glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar, through a patch pump to help prevent severe episodes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this system could offer a much-needed, effective way to prevent and treat severe low blood sugar for individuals after bariatric surgery, improving their safety and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Our group has conducted prior pilot studies that demonstrated the efficacy and safety of a similar closed-loop glucagon system in a clinical setting.
Where this research is happening
-
Joslin Diabetes Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patti, Mary E — Joslin Diabetes Center
- Study coordinator: Patti, Mary E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Technological and Educational Approaches to Restore Hypoglycemia Awareness in Type 1 Diabetes
A two-arm study in adults with type 1 diabetes tests whether high-tech glucose control plus education or targeted training can help people regain awareness of low blood sugar.
-
Techniques for restoring awareness of low blood sugar in adults with type 1 diabetes
A randomized trial compares different approaches to help adults with type 1 diabetes recognize when their blood sugar is dipping so they can act quickly.
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Treating impaired hypoglycemia awareness in type 1 diabetes with targeted education and technology
This study tests two treatment approaches to help adults with type 1 diabetes who often don’t realize their blood sugar is getting too low, using a mix of technology and education in two large groups.
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Helping people with type 1 diabetes regain awareness of dangerous lows
A UK study tests two different approaches to help adults with type 1 diabetes recognize and respond to low blood sugar by comparing a high-tech insulin system with targeted education.
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Understanding how hypoglycemia awareness changes in adults with type 1 diabetes and how automated insulin delivery and exercise might help restore it
This study will look at adults with type 1 diabetes to see how their awareness of low blood sugar evolves over time and whether automated insulin delivery and high-intensity exercise can help restore that awareness.
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Glucagon Pump Therapy for PBH in People After Bariatric Surgery
A new approach uses a patch pump and smart control to deliver glucagon during meal-related lows in adults who had bariatric surgery and developed dangerous hypoglycemia.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.