Molecular pathways of energy balance beyond UCP1 in fat tissue
Official title: Molecular mechanisms of UCP1-independent pathways in metabolic health
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11387771 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how fat tissue can generate energy and heat without the classic UCP1 protein, aiming to find new ways to support metabolic health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2012 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $655,158 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK097441-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387771 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with metabolic health concerns or conditions related to energy balance who may contribute samples or participate in future translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without metabolic health issues may not directly benefit from this basic-physiology research.
What this research studies
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are exploring how fat tissue uses Ca2+ cycles to create heat and maintain energy balance, even when UCP1 is inactive. The project seeks to uncover the structural and regulatory details of this UCP1-independent mechanism and its impact on whole-body metabolism. By combining cellular and organism-level approaches, the team hopes to map how these pathways contribute to health and disease. The goal is to lay a foundation for new strategies to combat metabolic disorders by targeting non-UCP1 thermogenesis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could reveal new targets to improve metabolic health and energy expenditure in people who have metabolic diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests non-UCP1 pathways contribute to thermogenesis, but the specific Ca2+ cycling mechanism is still being defined.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kajimura, Shingo — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kajimura, Shingo
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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.