Tiny particles from pancreatic islet cells that may drive type 1 diabetes progression
Abnormal Extracellular Vesicles and Particles from Human Islets Impact T1D progression
Researchers are looking at tiny particles released by human insulin-producing islet cells to understand how they affect beta cell survival and type 1 diabetes in people with or at risk for T1D.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11134663 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) that come from human pancreatic islets and may change how insulin-producing beta cells interact with the immune system. The team compares EVPs from healthy donors, people before they develop T1D, and people with T1D using detailed protein analyses and multiple laboratory platforms. They aim to find surface proteins that let them isolate beta cell–specific EVPs and test whether abnormal EVPs disrupt islet function or trigger immune responses. Much of the work uses primary human islets, human stem-cell–derived beta cells, and blood or tissue samples to link findings directly to human disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would include people living with type 1 diabetes, individuals at high risk for T1D (for example, autoantibody-positive), or donors able to provide blood or pancreatic tissue samples.
Not a fit: People with unrelated conditions or with only type 2 diabetes are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific T1D-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new blood-based markers or targets to slow or prevent beta cell loss in type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and cell studies suggest EVPs can affect beta cells, but applying these findings to human islets and patient samples is relatively new and still emerging.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Shuibing — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Chen, Shuibing
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 below.