Federal Grant Award Summary

Indiana University Indianapolis received a $592,746 Project Grant 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). The award, effective June 1, 2026 through April 30, 2030, supports basic biomedical research investigating the molecular mechanisms by which mechanical loading stimulates glucose metabolism and skeletal muscle growth. The research aims to identify novel glucose transporters activated during mechanical loading, determine the necessity of glucose uptake for load-stimulated muscle hypertrophy, and establish whether enhanced glucose metabolic flux is required for the transcriptional response to mechanical loading. The investigator-initiated research will employ advanced analytical techniques including photoaffinity labeling and mass spectrometry-based proteomics to characterize glucose transport mechanisms, alongside mouse models to assess the functional relationships between glucose uptake, muscle growth, and metabolic gene expression.

This research directly supports NIDDK's programmatic objectives to advance understanding of diabetes prevention and metabolic disease mechanisms through fundamental investigation of glucose regulation and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. The project's findings are expected to generate knowledge applicable to developing novel therapeutic interventions that could mimic the metabolic and hypertrophic benefits of mechanical loading, with potential clinical applications for metabolic disease prevention and treatment.