Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Aging awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota a $423,500 Project Grant under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) effective February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2028. This award supports basic biomedical research investigating the mechanistic links between cyclin D1 protein expression, metabolic dysfunction, and aging processes. The research will utilize complementary model systems—including hepatocyte studies in mice and humans, as well as the nematode C. elegans—to define how age and overnutrition promote cyclin D1 expression independent of cell proliferation and how this protein regulates lipid catabolism pathways implicated in health and lifespan. The project employs novel genetic tools, including an auxin-induced degron system, to enable temporal and spatial manipulation of cyclin D1 expression for discovery of downstream metabolic mechanisms.

This research addresses a significant public health priority by clarifying fundamental biological processes underlying age-related metabolic conditions, particularly obesity, type II diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The work leverages established expertise at the University of Minnesota, a major research institution with extensive experience executing federally-funded biomedical research initiatives. Findings from this investigation may inform future therapeutic strategies targeting cell cycle-independent metabolic dysregulation in aging populations.