Grant: Project Grant - PA: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic, incurable disease with devastating complications. The hallmark symptom of diabetes is sustained elevation in blood glucose levels, which results from reduced function of the insulin-secreting beta cell within the pancreas. Population studies and DNA sequencing have identified genetic variation that increases the risk of developing diabetes; however, how much of this variation leads to disease is unknown. Here we propose using cutting-edge technologies to generate human disease models and that carry the genetic differences that predispose to Type 2 diabetes. We will then study how these genetic changes lead to reductions of insulin secretion and likely cause diabetes. We expect these studies to will allow a greater understanding of how genetic variation in some people leads to diabetes and uncover new, human-specific beta cell pathways that could be targeted for development of therapeutics for Canadians with diabetes.