Understanding how ER quality control affects protein movement and stress signals in diabetes-related cells
Official title: Dissecting the Quality Control Pathways at the ER translocon
Funded at Texas Tech University Health Scis Center · NIH-11329625 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how the cell’s quality-control system in the endoplasmic reticulum affects protein handling and stress responses in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University Health Scis Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $492,625 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM164205-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11329625 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with or at risk for type 2 diabetes who may benefit from improved ER quality-control pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without diabetes or without ER stress-related complications may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This research will look at how proteins are guided into and folded in the ER, focusing on the Sec61 translocon and its partners. The team will explore how disruptions in this pathway influence stress responses like the unfolded protein response and potentially contribute to diabetes-related cellular dysfunction. Using a mammalian expression system and advanced imaging, they will map how Sec61, Sec63, and IRE1α interact during ER stress. The findings could reveal targets to improve cell health in diabetes by reducing harmful ER stress.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify new ways to reduce ER stress in insulin-producing or insulin-sensitive cells, potentially slowing diabetes-related cell damage.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked Sec61/Sec63 and IRE1α signaling to ER stress, with ongoing efforts building a clearer mechanism; this project extends those findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mariappan, Malaiyalam — Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
- Study coordinator: Mariappan, Malaiyalam
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.