Studying islet of Langerhans dysfunction during health and disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
‘All-optical deconstruction of the islet wiring patterns underlying insulin secretion in health and disease’
IRAS ID
202676
Contact name
Sean Jennings
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
12/0004431, Diabetes UK R.D. Lawrence Fellowship; MR/N00275X/1, MRC Project Grant
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) currently affects ~ 10% of the adult population and represents a significant burden on UK finances. This life-threatening disease state is typified by a failure of the beta cell mass to adapt their output in response to increased peripheral insulin resistance. The resulting metabolic dysregulation prevents sufferers from leading a normal healthy life due to a range of sequelae including cardiovascular and kidney disease, retinal degeneration, amputation and cancer. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying insulin secretion and beta cell failure remain poorly characterized. In the present proposal, next-generation optical tools, recombinant engineering and cell-resolution imaging approaches will be deployed to understand how insulin release is regulated within rodent and human islets of Langerhans from both rodents and humans. In particular, we will seek to understand how subtle differences in the genetic and protein barcode of cells may predispose to T2DM. Together, these in vitro studies promise to gain unique insight into the complex molecular and cellular drivers of insulin and glucagon release, before understanding how this may fail during T2DM. The project is particularly timely, since it aims to identify novel targets with which to reduce disease co-morbidities across lifespan, thus allowing healthy ageing of individuals with T2DM.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0107
Date of REC Opinion
24 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion