Mitochondria's role in insulin release for people with type 2 diabetes
Official title: Novel components of mitochondrial regulation of insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes
Funded at Buck Institute for Research on Aging · NIH-11243481 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether restoring a mitochondrial energy step called succinate dehydrogenase can help insulin-producing beta cells respond to glucose in people with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Buck Institute for Research on Aging NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Novato, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $670,313 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK135807-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11243481 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with type 2 diabetes or healthy organ donors who can provide pancreatic islets for research would be the most relevant contributors to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with advanced complications, those not participating in tissue donation programs, or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this lab-focused project.
What this research studies
Researchers will work with insulin-producing cells taken from human organ donors to see how mitochondria respond when exposed to glucose. They will use precise bioenergetic and cell-physiology measurements and modify genes with CRISPR or use drugs to change metabolic steps. The team will focus on succinate dehydrogenase and related amplification pathways to find which parts fail in type 2 diabetes. Results could point to targets for treatments that restore normal insulin secretion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify targets that help restore normal insulin secretion and lead to disease-modifying treatments for type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory studies have linked mitochondrial function to insulin secretion, but targeting succinate dehydrogenase in human beta cells is a relatively new and emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Buck Institute for Research on Aging
Novato, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gerencser, Akos a — Buck Institute for Research on Aging
- Study coordinator: Gerencser, Akos a
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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.