Origins of anti-insulin B cells in type 1 diabetes
The Origins of Human Anti-Insulin B Lymphocytes in Type 1 Diabetes
Researchers trace how anti-insulin B cells arise and change over time in people at risk for or in the early stages of type 1 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237586 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers follow blood samples from people like me who are at risk for type 1 diabetes to find anti-insulin B cells and see how they change before symptoms start. They use a unique biobank of pre-symptomatic TrialNet participants and take samples over time to catch early immune changes. The team compares people who do and do not have standard insulin autoantibodies to find cells that escape routine tests. Laboratory analyses look at how those B cells mature, present antigen to T cells, and may speed progression to diabetes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people enrolled in pre-symptomatic type 1 diabetes screening (for example TrialNet participants) who are at increased risk for T1D, whether or not they already test positive for insulin autoantibodies.
Not a fit: People with long-standing, established type 1 diabetes or those without the specific anti-insulin B cell signatures are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve early detection of immune activity against insulin and help match at-risk people to preventive therapies.
How similar studies have performed: This builds on prior mouse work and early human biobank findings, but directly tracking anti-insulin B cells in at-risk people before symptoms is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bonami, Rachel H — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bonami, Rachel H
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.