How the insulin receptor controls cell signals and blood sugar
The Insulin Receptor and Its Signaling Mechanisms
Researchers are looking at how the insulin receptor and its signaling pathways work in cells and people with type 2 diabetes to help find better ways to treat insulin resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Joslin Diabetes Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11296313 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This grant funds lab and translational work on the insulin and IGF-1 receptors to understand how they send signals inside cells and how those signals go wrong in type 2 diabetes. Scientists use mouse genetic models, human iPSC-derived muscle cells, and multi-omic methods (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) to trace signaling steps from the receptor to gene activity. The team has also explored differences between insulin and IGF-1 signaling and discovered new viral ligands and unoccupied-receptor signaling states. Findings aim to link basic molecular insights to human insulin resistance and identify pathways that could become drug targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with type 2 diabetes or clinical insulin resistance, and those willing to provide biological samples or participate in translational studies, would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to insulin signaling or with classic type 1 diabetes caused by autoimmune beta-cell loss may be less likely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets or approaches to improve insulin sensitivity and treatments for type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Decades of research have clarified insulin signaling and produced promising molecular leads, while the use of patient-derived iPSC cells and multi-omics is a newer approach that is beginning to yield human-specific insights.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Joslin Diabetes Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kahn, C Ronald — Joslin Diabetes Center
- Study coordinator: Kahn, C Ronald
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.