Toxic metals and liver disease risk in adults with diabetes
Official title: Toxic metals, epigenetics and risk of liver disease
Funded at North Carolina State University Raleigh · NIH-11385057 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how exposure to harmful metals may raise the risk of fatty liver disease in adults with type 2 diabetes or related metabolic problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Carolina State University Raleigh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, United States) |
| Project start | July 8, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $746,205 |
| NIH project number | 1R01ES037368-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385057 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus or metabolic syndrome who may have varying levels of environmental metal exposure.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes/metabolic risk or with no exposure to environmental metals may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
If funded, researchers at North Carolina State University will study how environmental metals contribute to fatty liver disease in adults, including those with diabetes and obesity. The project will look at how metals interact with metabolism and liver health, using human data from people in real communities. They aim to identify mechanisms and factors that explain why some groups are more affected, with an eye toward informing patient care and public health. The work would involve analyzing human health data and exposures to better understand risk in everyday life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding metal-related risks could lead to better prevention and personalized guidance for people with diabetes or obesity to protect their liver health.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies hinted at links between metals and liver injury, but human data are inconsistent, making this a promising but exploratory area.
Where this research is happening
-
North Carolina State University Raleigh
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hoyo, Cathrine — North Carolina State University Raleigh
- Study coordinator: Hoyo, Cathrine
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.