Understanding Zinc and Genes in Prediabetes
Official title: Clinical and Nutrigenetic Assessment of Zinc in Patients with Prediabetes
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11112485 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how zinc and your genes might work together to affect prediabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $763,337 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK136529-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11112485 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would be individuals diagnosed with prediabetes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have prediabetes or are already managing established type 2 diabetes may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
What this research studies
Many people have prediabetes, a condition that can lead to serious health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Currently, lifestyle changes are the main way to manage prediabetes, but we need more options to slow or prevent its progression. This project looks at how zinc, an important mineral, influences insulin and blood sugar in the body. We also want to understand if certain genetic differences affect how zinc works in your body. By studying these factors, we hope to find new ways to help people with prediabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies, possibly involving zinc supplementation, to slow or prevent the progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous investigations, primarily in type 2 diabetes patients, have shown that zinc supplementation can have positive effects on blood sugar levels.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lewis, Joshua Patrick — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Lewis, Joshua Patrick
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Alzheimer’s and dementia risk in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
This grant aims to understand why some older adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes develop memory problems or dementia.
-
Alzheimer’s and related dementia in older adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
This grant aims to understand why cognitive problems occur in people 65 and older who have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, using data from a long-running diabetes study to identify what drives memory and thinking decline.
-
Support for Monitoring and Remote Tracking for Prediabetes
Aimed at helping adults with prediabetes use continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) through training and support from community health workers to improve self-management and prevent progression to diabetes.
-
Effects of different exercise intensities on blood vessels and metabolism in prediabetes and diabetes
This project tests how moderate and high-intensity interval exercise affects blood vessel and fat tissue function in male and female rats with prediabetes or diabetes.
-
ONWARD: Helping teens and young adults with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes get the resources they need
A study tests easy, in-clinic and post-visit resource help for teens and young adults with type 2 diabetes to address social needs that affect their health.
-
Walking in greenspace and built environments for adults with prediabetes
This study tests whether walking in parks or green spaces, compared to built environments, improves blood sugar and stress measures in adults with prediabetes.
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.