Project Grant R01DK145733

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded Brigham and Women's Hospital Inc. $894,984 on September 1, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to conduct metabolomics-driven research clarifying the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and Type 2 Diabetes risk.

The project integrates a controlled feeding trial with large-scale epidemiological analyses. A crossover feeding trial will enroll 40 healthy adults across four isocaloric diet phases: one control diet and three focused on distinct ultra-processed food subtypes (starchy and refined grains, meats and fish, and dairy-based products). Participants will receive study foods and beverages and attend weekly clinic visits for in-person assessments and biospecimen collections. The research team will obtain metabolomic profiling of fasting plasma samples to isolate biomarkers associated with specific ultra-processed food subtypes, industrial additives, or processing methods. These biomarkers will be validated against dietary data in well-characterized, contemporary U.S.-based cohorts. The project will investigate associations between identified markers and Type 2 Diabetes risk in longitudinal observational studies, leveraging existing plasma metabolomic data collected at cohort baselines with follow-up for incident Type 2 Diabetes cases.

Performance occurs in Boston, Massachusetts. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through May 31, 2031. Brigham and Women's Hospital, a subsidiary of Partners Healthcare System Incorporated and part of Mass General Brigham, operates as the prime recipient.