Activating a key enzyme to improve metabolic diseases
Official title: Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Activation as a Strategy to Ameliorate Metabolic Disease
Funded at University of Nebraska Kearney · NIH-10795189 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how boosting a specific enzyme can help people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease by improving how their bodies use sugar, with the hope of finding new ways to make them feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Kearney NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kearney, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $402,782 |
| NIH project number | 1R15GM152925-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10795189 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or related metabolic disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with metabolic diseases not related to PDC dysfunction or those who do not have type 2 diabetes or heart disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how activating the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) can help treat metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The approach focuses on enhancing the activity of PDC by targeting specific inhibitors and activators, which could restore normal glucose utilization in cells. By exploring the effects of reactive oxygen species and other metabolic factors, the research aims to develop new therapeutic strategies that could improve patient outcomes. Patients may benefit from a better understanding of how their metabolism can be adjusted to combat these diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that significantly improve metabolic health for patients with diabetes and heart disease.
How similar studies have gone: While the activation of PDC has been explored in some contexts, this specific approach focusing on both inhibitors and activators is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Kearney
Kearney, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moxley, Michael a — University of Nebraska Kearney
- Study coordinator: Moxley, Michael a
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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.