How brain GLP-1 controls appetite and body weight
Official title: Synaptic and circuit mechanisms of central GLP-1 signaling in energy balance
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11330270 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a brain hormone called GLP-1 controls hunger and body weight to help people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 31, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $479,051 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131452-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330270 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with overweight/obesity or type 2 diabetes who are interested in future therapies targeting brain GLP-1 signaling.
✕Less likely to help
People without metabolic disease or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused work.
What this research studies
If you have obesity or diabetes, this work aims to map how a brain hormone called GLP-1 changes hunger and body weight. The team will use animal models and specialized molecular tools to detect when and where GLP-1 is released in the brain and which nerve cells it acts on. They will manipulate specific neurons and brain circuits and measure effects on eating, synaptic signaling, and body weight. The goal is to find precise brain targets that could guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could point to new, more targeted ways to reduce appetite and body weight with potentially fewer side effects than current treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Drugs that mimic GLP-1 already help many people lose weight and control blood sugar, but the specific brain circuit mechanisms this project targets are less well understood and remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pang, Zhiping P. — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Pang, Zhiping P.
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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.