How trypsin becomes activated in pancreatitis
Official title: Mechanisms of Trypsin Activation in Pancreatitis
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11290323 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the digestive enzyme trypsin starts working inside the pancreas and how that can trigger pancreatitis in people with or at risk for the condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 9, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $363,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK132471-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11290323 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recurrent or hereditary pancreatitis, a family history of pancreatitis, or known trypsinogen gene variants would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pancreatitis is caused solely by gallstones or alcohol without involvement of trypsin activation may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
The researchers will use animal models together with human genetic information to test three ways trypsinogen might become active inside the pancreas. They will compare activation caused by the enzyme cathepsin B with self-activation of trypsinogen that can happen when certain gene changes are present. By introducing specific genetic changes and altering cathepsin B activity, the team will track when pancreatitis begins, how severe it gets, and whether age of onset shifts. The work aims to clarify which activation pathway matters most under different genetic scenarios and will relate findings back to human disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat pancreatitis and help identify people at higher risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and human genetic studies have implicated both cathepsin B and trypsinogen autoactivation but have produced mixed results, so this work addresses an unresolved question.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Geisz-Fremy, Andrea — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Geisz-Fremy, Andrea
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Chronic Pancreatitis and Related Conditions Data Center Supports Multi-Center Research
A national effort to organize and share clinical data and biosamples from people with chronic pancreatitis, pancreatogenic diabetes, and pancreatic cancer to speed biomarker discovery and new treatments.
-
Lymphatic roles in pancreatitis and recovery
This project looks at how the lymphatic system influences inflammation and healing in pancreatitis, using mouse models to identify new therapeutic targets.
-
Diabetes after acute pancreatitis: understanding and tracking progression
A patient-focused look at how diabetes can develop after an episode of acute pancreatitis, using data from a large, ongoing study and AI insights.
-
Continuation of Type 1 Diabetes in Acute Pancreatitis: UF Health and AdventHealth
A patient-facing overview of a long-term study tracking people with acute pancreatitis to understand how some develop type 1 diabetes later and what factors influence that process.
-
Data Coordinating Center for Type 1 Diabetes in Acute Pancreatitis Consortium
A national effort to learn how pancreatitis-related Type 1 diabetes develops, by tracking patients and coordinating data to improve future care.
-
Diabetes after acute pancreatitis: a patient-focused network study
A program at Indiana University is studying how diabetes can develop after an acute pancreatitis episode, with new findings that could help doctors tailor care for adults who had pancreatitis.
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.