DHRS9's role in diet-induced obesity and diabetes
Official title: The role of DHRS9 in diet-induced obesity and diabetes
Funded at Texas Woman's University · NIH-11424889 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study investigates how DHRS9 affects obesity-related diabetes in mice, to understand whether vitamin A or inflammatory lipid signals drive insulin resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Woman's University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denton, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $133,175 |
| NIH project number | 1R16DK148672-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11424889 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with obesity-related insulin resistance or diabetes, or those who could contribute human data later; current work uses mice to model human disease.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage animal studies may not directly benefit patients yet, but could guide future human research.
What this research studies
Researchers will compare normal and DHRS9-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet to see how DHRS9 changes insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. They will test whether boosting retinoic acid or pro-resolving lipids can correct any worsened or improved responses. The work includes measuring insulin signaling pathways, metabolic outcomes, and sex-specific effects, using vitamin-A-defined diets. This could reveal targets to improve insulin resistance linked to obesity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could identify new metabolic pathways to treat insulin resistance in obesity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in similar mouse models have shown that manipulating retinoid or lipid signaling can affect insulin action, suggesting potential for translation.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Woman's University
Denton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tao, Zhipeng — Texas Woman's University
- Study coordinator: Tao, Zhipeng
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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.