How fat cells make heat without the usual UCP1 protein
Official title: Molecular mechanisms of UCP1-independent pathways in metabolic health
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11128188 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at a different molecular pathway in fat that helps produce heat and could be relevant for people with obesity or metabolic problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2012 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $630,321 |
| NIH project number | 2R01DK097441-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128188 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with obesity, metabolic syndrome, or other conditions related to impaired energy balance would be the most relevant future candidates for trials informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with health issues unrelated to metabolism or body-weight regulation are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic-science research.
What this research studies
This project studies how brown and beige fat can generate heat even when the well-known UCP1 protein is not active. Researchers will examine cells and animal models to trace a calcium-cycling mechanism and an ER-anchored peptide that appear to enable UCP1-independent thermogenesis. They will use molecular, structural, and whole-body physiological experiments to determine how this pathway is regulated and how it affects energy balance. The goal is to place this pathway within the hierarchy of heat-producing systems in the body and its role in disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these findings could point to new drug targets or treatments that boost metabolic rate to help treat obesity and metabolic disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and laboratory studies have suggested UCP1-independent thermogenesis exists, but the detailed molecular mechanisms and their therapeutic potential are still new and under active study.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kajimura, Shingo — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kajimura, Shingo
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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.