Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Michigan's Regents received a $785,969 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective February 6, 2026, with completion targeted for December 31, 2030. This competing continuation grant supports basic biomedical research investigating secretory pathway protein degradation mechanisms essential to insulin biogenesis and secretion. The research team, led by three collaborative investigators with specialized expertise, will conduct molecular-level investigations into three critical quality control mechanisms: endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), endoplasmic reticulum-autophagy (ER-phagy), and preproinsulin delivery into the endoplasmic reticulum.

The grant funds research aimed at understanding how pancreatic beta cells maintain proper insulin production by degrading misfolded proinsulin molecules that cannot pass quality control checkpoints. The deliverables include fundamental scientific findings on protein quality control mechanisms critical to normal insulin production and beta cell health and survival, which directly support NIDDK's programmatic objectives to advance understanding of diabetes etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. Research will be conducted at the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus facility.