SIRT7 and insulin-producing beta cells
Official title: Role of SIRT7 in the Pancreatic Beta Cells
Funded at Mayo Clinic Arizona · NIH-11322609 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether SIRT7 helps keep insulin-making beta cells working in people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $414,118 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK132651-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322609 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with type 2 diabetes or people at high risk who are willing to donate blood or pancreatic tissue for research would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with type 1 diabetes or those seeking immediate changes to their treatment are unlikely to directly benefit from this lab-based research.
What this research studies
Researchers are looking at how the protein SIRT7 controls the genes that let pancreatic beta cells make and release insulin and how it limits harmful inflammation. They will test how SIRT7 works with other cell machinery like the chromatin remodeler PBRM1 and the vitamin D receptor, and how the energy molecule NAD+ changes SIRT7's activity. Most work will use lab-grown beta cells and pancreatic islet models and molecular assays to measure insulin secretion and cell survival. What they learn could point to ways to protect or restore beta cells in people with type 2 diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that protect beta cells and improve insulin production in type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior preclinical studies suggest SIRT7 can affect insulin secretion and inflammation in beta cells, but translating these findings into human treatments is still early.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wei, Zong — Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Study coordinator: Wei, Zong
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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.