How the pancreas environment affects insulin-producing cells in type 1 diabetes
Official title: The Role of the Pancreas Microenvironment in Regulating Islet Function and Survival in Type 1 Diabetes
Funded at Colorado School of Mines · NIH-11592249 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how the surrounding tissue of the pancreas and its proteins influence insulin-producing cells in people with type 1 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado School of Mines NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Golden, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $40,754 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DK137221-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11592249 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals at risk for or living with type 1 diabetes, particularly those with early beta-cell stress or dysregulated peri-islet ECM dynamics, may benefit from future applications of this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without type 1 diabetes or beta-cell dysfunction may not directly benefit from this basic mechanistic research.
What this research studies
This project looks at how changes in the pancreas’s environment may drive loss of insulin-producing beta cells in type 1 diabetes. By studying the ECM around islets and enzymes that break down this matrix, scientists aim to understand why beta cells die and how immune cells infiltrate early in the disease. The work uses human-relevant models to connect cellular stress, ECM remodeling, and inflammatory signaling, with a focus on mechanisms like laminin-10 loss and PKCδ activity. Findings could point to new ways to preserve beta-cell function and delay disease progression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to strategies that protect beta cells and slow or prevent progression of type 1 diabetes by targeting the pancreas microenvironment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked beta-cell stress and ECM changes to islet pathology; this project builds on that foundation with deeper mechanistic insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Farnsworth, Nikki L. — Colorado School of Mines
- Study coordinator: Farnsworth, Nikki L.
Related research
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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.