Project Grant R01DK143970

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded the Regents of the University of Michigan $672,600 on August 25, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to investigate the neural circuits that control glucose mobilization through the hypothalamus.

The project, R01DK143970, will identify distinct populations of dorsomedial ventromedial nucleus neurons and determine how specific neural subtypes coordinate glucose production across different physiological contexts. The research addresses dysregulated glucose production in type 2 diabetes and stress hyperglycemia by examining three classes of hypothalamic neurons defined by molecular markers (LEPR, GLIPR1, and VGLUT3). Preliminary findings suggest these neuron populations activate different glucose-mobilizing mechanisms—including pituitary-adrenal axis signaling and sympathetic nervous system outflow—tailored to specific environmental or psychological stressors. Understanding these distinct neural circuits is intended to inform development of targeted treatments that address underlying pathology rather than symptomatic blood glucose normalization.

Work is performed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The period of performance runs through June 30, 2031. This is a Project Grant, the standard NIH research grant mechanism for investigator-initiated basic and clinical research.