Stopping fat-driven cell damage to protect metabolic health
Official title: Lipotoxicity and Maintenance of Metabolic Health
Funded at Joslin Diabetes Center · NIH-11324243 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing whether removing certain tiny RNAs inside cells can prevent fat-related liver and metabolic damage in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Joslin Diabetes Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $597,775 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137511-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324243 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with type 2 diabetes or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease would be the most likely future candidates for therapies inspired by this research, although the current work is performed in labs and animal models.
✕Less likely to help
People without metabolic disease, children, or anyone seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical grant.
What this research studies
Researchers will study a group of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that appear to make cells more vulnerable to damage from excess fat. They will remove these snoRNAs in cell experiments and in mice fed high-fat diets to see whether tissues such as the liver are protected from lipotoxic injury. The team will link snoRNA levels to changes in how proteins are made by ribosomes and how dietary fats influence those processes. Results could point to new molecular targets for treating fatty liver and other complications of type 2 diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets for drugs that prevent or treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and other fat-overload complications of diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Basic studies have linked snoRNAs and ribosome modifications to cellular stress, but using snoRNA knockout to protect against diet-induced fatty liver is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Joslin Diabetes Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schaffer, Jean E. — Joslin Diabetes Center
- Study coordinator: Schaffer, Jean E.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Metabolic Health and Lifestyle in Down Syndrome and Risk of Related Health Conditions
A nationwide study aims to understand how metabolic health and daily habits affect health conditions like Alzheimer’s-related changes in people with Down syndrome.
-
Brown-fat lipids and their mimics for better metabolism
Researchers are studying small fat-related molecules produced by brown fat to understand how they help with metabolism and may lead to new ways to treat type 2 diabetes.
-
GROW Together: How a mother’s blood sugar affects a baby’s growth and future health in American Samoa
A study following pregnant Pacific Islander women in American Samoa to understand how glucose levels during pregnancy influence their babies’ early growth and later risk of diabetes.
-
Aina-Based Engagement and Social Epigenomic Pathways to Metabolic Health for Native Hawaiian Youth
A Native Hawaiian youth program combines Indigenous knowledge with modern science to understand and improve blood sugar health and inflammation through community-led farming and gut microbiome changes.
-
Glyphosate exposure and young adults' metabolic health
A study will look at how glyphosate exposure relates to metabolism and liver health in young adults, using urine measurements and health data.
-
Musculoskeletal and Metabolic Health in midlife women during menopause
A long-term study following women through menopause to understand how bone, muscle, and metabolic health change and affect aging.
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.