Reducing skin inflammation at insulin pump sites
Official title: Infusion device optimization by addressing root causes of the inflammatory response
Funded at Wayne State University · NIH-11318895 · Data updated 2026-11-12
New methods to make insulin-pump infusion sites less inflamed for people with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wayne State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project start | April 20, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $502,660 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK129681-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11318895 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with diabetes who use subcutaneous insulin pumps and who experience or want to avoid infusion-site inflammation would be the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use insulin pumps or subcutaneous infusion sets would not directly benefit from this work.
What this research studies
I use an insulin pump and this project looks at why infusion sites get inflamed, focusing on toxic preservatives in insulin and tissue injury from the cannula. The team showed in mice and pigs that removing phenolic preservatives right before infusion cuts inflammation while keeping insulin working. Researchers are studying skin immune cells like mast cells and testing device and formulation changes that could let infusion sets be worn longer. If those preclinical steps succeed, the work could move toward testing approaches with people who use pumps.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, people using insulin pumps could have fewer infusion-site reactions and be able to wear infusion sets longer, improving comfort and glucose control.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work in mice and pigs showed reduced inflammation when insulin preservatives were removed before infusion, but human testing is limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Wayne State University
Detroit, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Klueh, Ulrike — Wayne State University
- Study coordinator: Klueh, Ulrike
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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.