Understanding the connection between type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease
Official title: Hepatic insulin resistance integrates T2D and NAFLD
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11184358 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how insulin resistance in the liver links type 2 diabetes with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can progress to a more serious condition called NASH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $787,389 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137942-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184358 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on understanding the underlying causes of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which could eventually benefit patients living with these conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without type 2 diabetes or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Many people with type 2 diabetes also develop non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can worsen into a life-threatening condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This research aims to uncover the specific ways that insulin resistance in the liver contributes to this progression. We are using advanced mouse models that mimic human conditions, along with human data and cells, to identify key pathways involved. Our goal is to understand how certain proteins, like FoxO1 and Fst, accelerate the development of NAFLD into NASH during liver insulin resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Successfully identifying these pathways could lead to new strategies to prevent or treat the progression of fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: This work builds upon existing knowledge about insulin resistance and also presents new findings from the researchers' own studies using both animal models and human data.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: White, Morris F. — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: White, Morris F.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Hepatic insulin resistance linking type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease
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Understanding how insulin resistance affects type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease
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We’re following people over time to see how the gut microbiome and diet relate to fatty liver disease progression in diverse racial/ethnic groups.
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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.