Understanding calorie-burning brown and beige fat
Official title: Dissecting the thermogenic adipose niche
Funded at Joslin Diabetes Center · NIH-11177637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how calorie-burning fat in adults works and how it might help people 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 | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $701,614 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK133528-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be adults (21+) with type 2 diabetes or related metabolic conditions who are willing to provide tissue samples or take part in translational clinical work, typically at a clinic site.
✕Less likely to help
Children, pregnant people, or individuals without metabolic problems who expect immediate treatment benefits are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic-research project.
What this research studies
The team maps the different cell types in thermogenic fat (brown and beige fat) using single-cell RNA sequencing, primarily in mice kept at different temperatures. They examine how cold exposure changes cellular composition and how cells communicate within the fat tissue. The researchers aim to learn how thermogenic fat develops, remodels, and burns energy to inform future ways to boost its activity. Findings will be used to guide translational work related to human metabolic disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to increase calorie-burning fat activity to improve blood sugar control and lower cardiovascular risk in adults with type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies and human observational work have linked active brown fat to better metabolism, but converting that knowledge into proven therapies for people remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Joslin Diabetes Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tseng, Yu-Hua — Joslin Diabetes Center
- Study coordinator: Tseng, Yu-Hua
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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.