Understanding nerve cell communication in obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes
Official title: Metabolic coupling between Schwann cells and axons is functionally distinct from myelination and is disrupted in obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11118802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how nerve cells communicate and how this process is affected by conditions like obesity and diabetes, hoping to find new ways to treat nerve damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 23, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $621,686 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK130913-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11118802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation but aims to benefit individuals living with or at risk for peripheral neuropathy due to obesity, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose peripheral neuropathy is not related to metabolic conditions like obesity, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Many people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or obesity experience nerve damage, called peripheral neuropathy, which current treatments don't fully address. While lifestyle changes like diet and exercise can improve overall metabolic health, we don't fully understand how these changes help the nerves. This research aims to uncover the specific ways that nerve cells and their support cells (Schwann cells) interact and how this interaction is disrupted in metabolic conditions. By studying these mechanisms, we hope to identify new targets for treatments that could effectively reverse or prevent nerve damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, mechanism-based treatments for peripheral neuropathy in people with obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: While previous work has shown that lifestyle changes can improve nerve health in animal models, the specific mechanisms involving Schwann cells and nerve fiber communication are still largely unknown.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feldman, Eva Lucille — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Feldman, Eva Lucille
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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.