How the brain controls metabolism and reproductive health
Official title: Neural Substrates Controlling Metabolic and Reproductive State
Funded at University of Nevada Las Vegas · NIH-11136525 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will map brain circuits in fruit flies to learn how the nervous system influences metabolism and reproduction, with relevance to conditions like adult-onset diabetes and PCOS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Las Vegas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Vegas, United States) |
| Project start | July 14, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $188,261 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM150433-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136525 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with adult-onset diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome who are interested in research on how brain circuits might influence their condition would find this work relevant, although it does not enroll human subjects.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments or enrollment should not expect direct benefit because the project is laboratory research in fruit flies.
What this research studies
This project uses genetically tractable fruit flies to find the brain cells and networks that shift metabolic and reproductive state when the environment changes. Scientists will focus on specific neurons and neuropeptides (for example Allatostatin-C) and use high-resolution genetic and cellular tools to trace connections and function. Experiments include manipulating temperature-sensitive neurons and mapping how those changes alter energy use and reproductive activity. The goal is to discover basic biological rules that could guide later work in mammals and humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal brain pathways that contribute to metabolic and reproductive disorders and point to new targets for future treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Using Drosophila to map neural circuits is an established method that has yielded important basic insights, but translating those findings to human metabolic diseases is still early and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meiselman, Matthew Ramiah — University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Study coordinator: Meiselman, Matthew Ramiah
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.