Understanding how diabetes medicines work to create better options
Official title: Structural definition of biased agonism in the nuclear receptor PPAR gamma.
Funded at University of Montana · NIH-11159583 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to understand how certain diabetes medications interact with a protein in the body to develop new treatments with fewer side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Montana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Missoula, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $358,490 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK129646-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159583 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is relevant to patients with type 2 diabetes or autoimmune diseases who currently use or may need nuclear receptor-targeting medications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not affected by type 2 diabetes or autoimmune diseases, or those whose conditions are not treated by nuclear receptor-targeting drugs, may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Many important medicines for conditions like type 2 diabetes work by connecting with a protein called PPARgamma, but these drugs can sometimes cause unwanted side effects like weight gain or weaker bones. Researchers believe that some newer drug candidates, called 'biased agonists,' might offer the same benefits with fewer side effects by interacting with PPARgamma in a slightly different way. This project will look closely at the structure of PPARgamma and how these new drugs bind to it, helping us understand exactly how they produce their effects. By uncovering these details, we hope to guide the creation of safer and more effective treatments for type 2 diabetes and other related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the development of new medications for type 2 diabetes and autoimmune diseases that are more effective and have fewer serious side effects than current treatments.
How similar studies have gone: While current PPARgamma activators are effective for type 2 diabetes, the concept of 'biased agonism' to reduce side effects is a promising but still developing area of drug discovery.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Montana
Missoula, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hughes, Travis Shane — University of Montana
- Study coordinator: Hughes, Travis Shane
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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.