Grant: Operating Grant

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are major health concerns for Canadians. Loss of function of the pancreatic beta cell which is responsible for insulin secretion and thus for regulating blood sugar levels, is a central feature of both T1D and T2D. Pancreatic beta cells and neurons are highly similar cells, like they were 'separated at birth'. Key to the function and survival of beta cells is the integrity of mitchondria, essential cellular organelles required for cells to use energy from food. Indeed, mitochondrial damage is a hallmark of diabetes. Accumulation of damaged mitochondria is also now thought to underlie symptoms Parkinson Disease, which is characterized by the degeneration of brain cells that are required for normal movement leading to chronic disability. Our recent work has shown that the protein ROMO1 is required to promote mitochondrial health and cell survival. This application seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for the physiological significance of the ROMO1 pathway in pancreatic beta cells and neurons. The long-term goal of this work is to provide a new list of targets for therapeutic intervention with the goal of prolonging beta cell and neuronal survival to improve patient survival and quality of life.