Helping pancreatic cells fold insulin better to ease type 2 diabetes
Improving Proinsulin Folding to Ameliorate Type II Diabetes
This work tries to fix how insulin precursors fold inside pancreatic beta cells so people with type 2 diabetes can make and store more insulin.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325837 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my view as a patient, researchers are studying the way proinsulin (the precursor to insulin) folds inside the cell compartment that makes and stores insulin. They map which helper proteins interact with proinsulin in human and mouse islets, with a special focus on the ER chaperone BiP and its partners. In the lab they test ways to resolve abnormal clumps of misfolded proinsulin so more normal insulin is produced and sent out of the cell. The team uses human islet tissue, animal models, and biochemical assays to link molecular changes to insulin output.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with type 2 diabetes or people with prediabetes who have reduced insulin production or high insulin demand are the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People with advanced loss of beta cells (for example long-standing type 1 diabetes with near-complete beta-cell loss) are unlikely to benefit from approaches that improve folding in existing beta cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If it works, this could restore or increase insulin production in people with type 2 diabetes and reduce the need for extra medications.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory findings support the idea that fixing proinsulin folding can free up insulin stores, but translating this into human treatments is still new and unproven.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaufman, Randal J. — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Kaufman, Randal J.
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.