Profiling immune cells to find early inflammation clues in kids with obesity and insulin resistance
Official title: Profiling the Immune Cell Landscape to Identify Early Immunometabolic Changes in Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Young Children
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-11452629 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how immune cells in children with obesity may show early inflammatory changes linked to insulin resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $423,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD120843-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11452629 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with obesity, pre-pubertal, and at risk for insulin resistance.
✕Less likely to help
Children without obesity or without signs of insulin resistance may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
In this study, researchers will examine blood samples from young children with obesity to map immune cell types and their metabolic pathways using single-cell RNA sequencing. They aim to identify specific T cell populations and inflammatory signals that associate with insulin resistance in pre-pubertal kids. The goal is to uncover early biological changes that could inform prevention or future treatments for type 2 diabetes in children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to earlier prevention strategies and targeted therapies to reduce inflammation and lower diabetes risk in children with obesity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows immune and metabolic links in obesity, but studying young children with single-cell approaches is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rose, Shannon — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Rose, Shannon
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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.