Secretion is an essential step in memory and learning, control of metabolism and reproduction and the functioning of most organs. Secretory dysfunction also underlies many diseases including type 2 diabetes. We plan experiments to test for a new model of control of insulin secretion.
Do Synaptic-like Mechanisms Control Insulin Secretion?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$593,235.00
Summary
An estimated 415 million people world-wide were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015. One of the causal factors in disease is the dysregulation of insulin secretion. We have developed new techniques to study insulin secretion that has led us to propose a new model for secretory control. This proposal sets out experiments to critically test this model. The outcomes could have wide-reaching impact on understanding and for future treatment and prevention of the diabetes.
The Role Of Vitamin D In Beta Cell Function, Glucose Tolerance And Diabetes Mellitus.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$102,820.00
Summary
A significant proportion of Australians are deficient in Vitamin D, a vitamin obtained from sunlight exposure and to a lesser extent from food. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. This study aims to demonstrate the mechanisms through which vitamin D affects the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas and to determine whether deficiency affects the body's handling of glucose and subsequent risk of Type 2 diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy.
Can Vitamin D Prevent Diabetes By Improving Insulin Sensitivity And Secreation In Overweight Humans?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$715,371.00
Summary
Vitamin D is mainly produced by the action of sunlight on skin. Low levels of vitamin D are becoming more common, as we work more indoors and avoid the sun and have been associated with type 2 diabetes. In proposed study, healthy overweight people, with low vitamin D, will be given vitamin D for 16 weeks to optimise blood levels of this vitamin. We will examine the changes in sugar metabolism. This study should provide important evidence on how vitamin D protects against diabetes and will suppor ....Vitamin D is mainly produced by the action of sunlight on skin. Low levels of vitamin D are becoming more common, as we work more indoors and avoid the sun and have been associated with type 2 diabetes. In proposed study, healthy overweight people, with low vitamin D, will be given vitamin D for 16 weeks to optimise blood levels of this vitamin. We will examine the changes in sugar metabolism. This study should provide important evidence on how vitamin D protects against diabetes and will support novel approaches to diabetes prevention.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Vitamin D In Beta-cell Function And Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$554,248.00
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency is common in Australia, with the success of the 'slip, slop, slap' campaigns. Low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with diabetes. This grant aims to determine how vitamin D affects insulin release and blood glucose levels.
The Role Of Insulin Hypersecretion In Beta Cell Dysfunction In Type 2 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,622.00
Summary
The treatment of diabetes involves the use of drugs that stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas to reduce the high blood sugar levels. However, we believe that while in the short term this is a good strategy, in the long-term it damages the cells that produce insulin leading to a worsening state of diabetes. It is the aim of this application to understand the mechanisms by which the insulin producing cells are damaged when forced to oversecrete insulin.
HDL Elevation And Glucose Metabolism: A Mechanistic Proof-of-Concept Intervention Trial In Pre-Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$507,974.00
Summary
This clinical trial will investigate a new treatment strategy for type 2 diabetes. Building on our novel discovery that HDL (good cholesterol) lowers blood glucose, we will test whether HDL elevation over a month with a new drug (RVX-208) can improve glucose control in patients with pre-diabetes. If positive, these studies will support new therapeutic approaches to raise levels of circulating HDL for indications beyond vascular disease to manage type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a health crisis in Australia. In this project, we will investigate the mechanisms whereby high glucose and fat impair pancreatic beta-cell function leading to type 2 diabetes. We will establish how endoplasmic reticulum stress and the protein Id1 are linked with loss of beta-cell gene expression and function. The information gained will further our understanding of the basic mechanisms regulating insulin secretion and provide new therapeutic targets for diabetes treatment.
Mechanisms Regulating The Levels Of Circulating Insulin In Response To Nutrition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease both in Australia and worldwide, caused by the failure of cells within the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin. I aim to determine how different nutritional inputs alter the levels of circulating insulin, and identify and characterise genes required for insulin production and secretion. As well as providing important insights into the mechanisms that regulate insulin secretion, I will identify new therapeutic targets for diabetes treatment.