Understanding Hydrogen Sulfide's Role in Diabetes and Heart Health
Official title: Circulating hydrogen sulfide, diabetes and diabetes-related cardiovascular disease
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11171476 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a natural gas in our bodies, called hydrogen sulfide, might be connected to developing type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $655,186 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL163661-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171476 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with or at risk for type 2 diabetes and related heart conditions may be ideal candidates for future studies stemming from this research.
✕Less likely to help
This foundational research aims to understand disease mechanisms, so direct patient treatment benefits are not immediate.
What this research studies
Type 2 diabetes affects many people and often leads to serious heart conditions. This project aims to understand if hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gas important for cell function, plays a role in the development of diabetes and its related heart issues. In laboratory settings, H2S has shown promise in protecting cells in the pancreas and liver, and in animal models, it has helped prevent heart damage. This research will conduct new studies in people to see how H2S levels relate to developing diabetes and heart disease over time, building on limited existing human data.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Learning more about hydrogen sulfide could lead to new ways to prevent or treat type 2 diabetes and its related heart complications.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies in animals have shown protective effects, but human studies are limited and mostly cross-sectional, making this a novel prospective approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Totah, Rheem Angela — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Totah, Rheem Angela
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
TB infection and heart health: how latent TB may raise diabetes and heart disease risk
This project looks at whether having latent tuberculosis infection raises the chances of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and what epigenetic clues might explain this link.
-
Understanding how APOC3 affects heart disease in diabetes
This grant studies how a protein called APOC3 influences heart disease risk in people with diabetes, aiming to find ways to reduce that risk.
-
Triglycerides, Diabetes, and Heart Disease in Diabetes Patients
A large, multi-year study from the University of Washington looks at how triglyceride-rich particles affect heart disease risk in adults with type 2 diabetes.
-
Understanding Type 2 Diabetes, APOC3, and Heart Disease
This work explores how a protein called APOC3 contributes to heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
-
Understanding Fats, Diabetes, and Heart Disease
This research aims to understand how certain fats, called triglycerides, contribute to heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
-
Investigating the role of apolipoprotein C3 in heart disease for patients with type 1 diabetes
This study is looking at how the protein APOC3 in your blood might affect your chances of developing heart disease if you have type 1 diabetes, and it’s also exploring a new treatment that could help lower APOC3 levels to keep your heart healthier.
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.