Boosting the Body's Natural Fat-Burning Process
Enhancer for UCP1 transcription and thermogenesis
This research explores how to activate a special type of fat in your body that burns calories to create heat, potentially helping with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189767 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are often linked to an excess of white fat, which primarily stores energy. In contrast, brown fat works to burn energy and generate heat, mainly through a protein called UCP1. This project aims to discover new ways to activate UCP1 and enhance brown fat activity, which could help the body burn more calories. Researchers are focusing on a specific genetic switch, or 'enhancer,' that controls UCP1, studying how it functions and if it can increase heat production and improve metabolism. The ultimate goal is to better understand these natural fat-burning processes to develop new strategies against metabolic diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research does not involve direct patient participation at this stage, but aims to benefit adults living with obesity and type 2 diabetes in the future.
Not a fit: Patients not affected by obesity or type 2 diabetes may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to increase the body's calorie burning, offering potential new treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has identified key factors involved in activating UCP1, suggesting a foundation for this continued exploration of its genetic controls.
Where this research is happening
Berkeley, United States
- University of California Berkeley — Berkeley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sul, Hei Sook — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Sul, Hei Sook
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 below.