How genes affect diabetes complications in U.S. Veterans

Diabetic Complications and Genetic Variants in the Million Veterans Program

NIH-funded research Veterans Health Administration · NIH-11130996

This project uses genetic and health record information from Veterans with adult diabetes to find why some people develop serious complications and to help tailor care.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVeterans Health Administration NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Decatur, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11130996 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you are a Veteran with diabetes in the Million Veterans Program, researchers will combine your DNA and VA medical records to look for links to heart, kidney, eye problems, and severe low blood sugar. They will calculate genetic risk scores for adult-onset type 1 versus type 2 diabetes to see whether some people presumed to have type 2 actually have adult-onset type 1. The team will combine those genetic scores with clinical measures like blood pressure, BMI, and disease course and will study epigenetic marks that might explain complications. This work is based on large-scale data analysis of Veterans rather than new experimental treatments, with the goal of making diagnosis and care more precise over time.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are U.S. Veterans with adult-onset diabetes enrolled in the Million Veterans Program and willing to have their genetic and clinical data used for research.

Not a fit: People without diabetes, those not enrolled in VA care or the Million Veterans Program, or those unwilling to share genetic data are unlikely to benefit directly from this grant's activities.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors more accurately identify who has adult-onset type 1 versus type 2 diabetes and personalize treatment to reduce complications.

How similar studies have performed: Earlier MVP analyses (MVP009) and other genome-wide studies have identified genetic links to diabetes complications and hinted at adult-onset type 1 diabetes in some Veterans, but applying genetic scores to routine diagnosis and treatment remains new.

Where this research is happening

Decatur, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Adult-Onset Diabetes MellitusBrittle Diabetes Mellitus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.