Using wearables and smart pumps to lower the risk of unrecognized low blood sugar
Official title: Using technology to define and mitigate risk of impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11319806 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses continuous glucose monitors and hybrid closed-loop insulin systems to find people with impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes and help restore their ability to notice low blood sugar.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $879,491 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DK135121-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319806 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (18+) with type 1 diabetes, particularly those who have frequent hypoglycemia or suspect they do not sense low blood sugar, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without type 1 diabetes (including most with type 2), children under 18, or those who already reliably sense hypoglycemia are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would wear a blinded continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for about 10 days so researchers can look for CGM patterns linked to poor awareness of low blood sugar. After that, you would have a controlled hypoglycemic clamp visit where hormones and symptoms during low blood sugar are measured. The team plans to enroll roughly 112 adults with type 1 diabetes to compare CGM metrics with counterregulatory hormone responses and symptom scores. In a second phase, participants will use hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery to see whether modern automated insulin management can help restore hypoglycemia awareness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians identify people at high risk for dangerous low blood sugar and reduce that risk by using modern insulin-delivery technology.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows CGM metrics and closed-loop systems can reduce time spent in hypoglycemia, but combining CGM pattern identification with hormonal clamp testing to restore awareness is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
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University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pettus, Jeremy H — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Pettus, Jeremy H
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Technological and Educational Approaches to Restore Hypoglycemia Awareness in Type 1 Diabetes
A two-arm study in adults with type 1 diabetes tests whether high-tech glucose control plus education or targeted training can help people regain awareness of low blood sugar.
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Techniques for restoring awareness of low blood sugar in adults with type 1 diabetes
A randomized trial compares different approaches to help adults with type 1 diabetes recognize when their blood sugar is dipping so they can act quickly.
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Treating impaired hypoglycemia awareness in type 1 diabetes with targeted education and technology
This study tests two treatment approaches to help adults with type 1 diabetes who often don’t realize their blood sugar is getting too low, using a mix of technology and education in two large groups.
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Helping people with type 1 diabetes regain awareness of dangerous lows
A UK study tests two different approaches to help adults with type 1 diabetes recognize and respond to low blood sugar by comparing a high-tech insulin system with targeted education.
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Understanding how hypoglycemia awareness changes in adults with type 1 diabetes and how automated insulin delivery and exercise might help restore it
This study will look at adults with type 1 diabetes to see how their awareness of low blood sugar evolves over time and whether automated insulin delivery and high-intensity exercise can help restore that awareness.
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Understanding how impaired hypoglycemia awareness develops in type 1 diabetes and how automated insulin delivery and exercise might help restore it
This study looks at adults with type 1 diabetes who struggle to sense hypoglycemia and tests whether automated insulin delivery and exercise can help restore their awareness.
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.