How cell fat droplets affect fatty liver, diabetes, and heart disease
Lipid droplets and the compartmentalization of subcellular metabolism
Researchers are looking at how tiny fat-filled droplets inside liver cells change energy use and connect fatty liver with diabetes and heart disease.
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 ID | NIH-11257316 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at how lipid droplets — the little fat-storage packets inside liver cells — change how nearby and distant mitochondria handle fats and energy. Scientists compare mitochondria attached to droplets with those that are not using protein mapping, labeled fat tracing, and high-resolution microscopy. They also study how ER–mitochondria contact sites help control droplet interactions and lipid flow. The goal is to explain how these cell-level changes link non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or related cardiovascular conditions would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People with alcohol-related liver disease, advanced cirrhosis, or conditions unrelated to metabolism are less likely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for preventing or treating fatty liver and its related diabetes and heart complications.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory work has highlighted organelle interactions in metabolism, but this project applies new proteomics, isotope tracing, and imaging methods to reveal previously unrecognized mitochondrial roles and is primarily basic science rather than a tested therapy.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mashek, Douglas G — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Mashek, Douglas G
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.