How a mother's insulin and placenta signaling shape a child's future metabolism
Official title: Placental Insulin Signaling and mTOR Nutrient-Sensing Programming of Offspring Metabolic Health
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11303252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how high insulin in pregnant people changes the placenta and may raise their children's risk for Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $521,795 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK136237-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11303252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who were pregnant with high insulin levels (for example, with prediabetes, obesity, or gestational diabetes) and their children would be the most relevant candidates for related studies or future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of maternal hyperinsulinemia or those seeking immediate treatments for existing Type 2 diabetes may not see direct benefit from this specific mechanistic research.
What this research studies
This research follows how a mother's high insulin during pregnancy changes placental signaling and nutrient supply to the fetus. Researchers use laboratory models and genetic tools to see how those placental changes alter offspring weight and blood sugar over time. The team has preliminary data from animal models showing offspring of hyperinsulinemic mothers gain weight and develop glucose problems, and that changing placental insulin signaling can help. Findings aim to point to new ways to prevent diabetes that starts from pregnancy exposures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal placental mechanisms that lead to diabetes risk and suggest ways to prevent metabolic disease in children of hyperinsulinemic pregnancies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies and the investigators' preliminary data show altered offspring metabolism from maternal hyperinsulinemia and that changing placental insulin signaling can improve outcomes in models, but human translation is still early.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alejandro, Emilyn — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Alejandro, Emilyn
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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.