Pathway to youth-onset type 2 diabetes: understanding puberty-driven risk
Official title: Illuminating the path(ophysiology) to development of youth-onset type 2 diabetes (PATH-NC)
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11505269 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A longitudinal study following high-risk youths through puberty to better understand how puberty affects the development and complications of youth-onset type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $159,382 |
| NIH project number | 3U01DK134967-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11505269 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are youths at high risk for youth-onset type 2 diabetes, particularly American Indian and non-Hispanic Black youths, around puberty with obesity or family history of diabetes.
✕Less likely to help
Youth not at high risk or not entering puberty during the study period may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows high-risk youths, especially in American Indian and Black communities, over time to map how puberty changes insulin sensitivity and how early signs of type 2 diabetes emerge. Researchers will collect detailed health data during puberty, identifying key pathophysiologic markers and the timing of complications like kidney, eye, nerve, and blood vessel problems. The study builds on the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth findings to explore why some youths with obesity or family history progress to diabetes while others do not. By tracking participants through puberty (Tanner stages), the study aims to pinpoint windows for prevention and early intervention that could reduce long-term harm. The effort will engage clinical sites and communities to ensure findings translate into practical guidance for patients and families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could clarify when and how youth enter puberty-related risk for type 2 diabetes, guiding earlier prevention and targeted care for high-risk youths.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth has shown meaningful insights into youth-onset T2D, supporting the potential value of deep phenotyping during puberty.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jensen, Elizabeth T — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Jensen, Elizabeth T
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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.