Schwann cell aging and secretions linked to diabetic nerve damage
Official title: Schwann Cell Senescence and the Secretome Provide a Unifying Mechanism for the Onset and Progression of Diabetic Neuropathy
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11447445 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project looking at how aging nerve cells and their secretions may drive nerve damage in people with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 23, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $779,340 |
| NIH project number | 2R01DK130913-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447445 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with type 2 diabetes and signs of peripheral neuropathy, or those at risk for it, who could contribute tissue samples or participate in related future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes or without neuropathy may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project investigates how aging Schwann cells in the peripheral nerves contribute to diabetic neuropathy and whether cell secretions promote inflammation and metabolic problems. Researchers will study mice to identify early signs of Schwann cell aging and how these signals affect nerve cells and overall nerve health. The study also explores potential therapies, including drugs that target senescent cells, to see if nerve function can be preserved or restored.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new ways to prevent or slow diabetic neuropathy by targeting aging nerve cells.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies suggest targeting senescent cells can improve tissue function in metabolic diseases, with this work extending to the peripheral nervous system.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feldman, Eva Lucille — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Feldman, Eva Lucille
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Non-invasive, microscopic biomarkers to detect CIPN in chemotherapy patients
This grant aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method to measure nerve changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy to better understand and monitor chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
-
Neonatal Fc receptor blockade by efgartigimod to help inflammatory nerve disease
Aims to test how blocking a specific antibody trafficking receptor with efgartigimod could improve nerve inflammation in a model of AIDP/GBS-type neuropathy.
-
Diabetic bladder problems in diabetes mice show sex-specific nerve and inflammation roles
Aims to understand why bladder problems happen in diabetes, exploring how inflammation and nerves differ between male and female mice.
-
Prenyltransferase inhibitor as a new therapy for inflammatory neuropathy
A new drug candidate called FGTI-2734 is being studied to calm nerve inflammation in conditions like AIDP/Guillain-Barré syndrome, with the goal of protecting nerves and reducing symptoms.
-
KCTD11-related CMT neuropathy: uncovering how it damages nerves
We are studying a genetic form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease to understand what goes wrong in nerves and support future treatments.
-
Arginase-positive monocytes help protect optic nerve cells after eye injury
A study at a major university will explore how certain immune cells in the eye might protect retinal cells after traumatic injury or inflammation, aiming to turn inflammation into healing rather than damage.
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.