NIDDK Archives
New neurodegeneration culprit
Jun. 17, 2021—A young woman with a puzzling neurological illness and novel genetic variant pointed investigators to a role for dysregulated protein kinase D1 in neurodegeneration.
Beta cell regeneration
May. 20, 2021—Vanderbilt researchers dissected the complex microenvironment of the pancreatic islet to discover the signals that drive beta cell regeneration — as a possible treatment for diabetes.
New insights into kidney development
Apr. 15, 2021—Integrin-linked kinase, a central component of a complex that coordinates cell signaling involved in migration, proliferation and cell death, plays a role in kidney development and epithelial cell function.
Study revises understanding of cancer metabolism
Apr. 7, 2021—Tumors consume glucose at high rates, but a team of Vanderbilt researchers has discovered that cancer cells themselves are not the culprit, upending models of cancer metabolism that have been developed and refined over the last 100 years.
HIV, diabetes and immune cells in fat
Mar. 18, 2021—In HIV-positive individuals with diabetes, immune cells in fat are more proinflammatory and cytotoxic and may represent a therapeutic target for diabetes.
Electronic health record study discovers novel hormone deficiency
Mar. 11, 2021—A novel hormone deficiency may exist in humans, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered. In an analysis of two decades worth of electronic health records, the researchers found that some patients have unexpectedly low levels of natriuretic peptide hormone in clinical situations that should cause high levels of the hormone.
Probiotic protection
Mar. 4, 2021—A probiotic factor given early in life to mice prevented intestinal inflammation in adulthood, providing a rationale for probiotic intervention in individuals at high risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.
Targeting glucagon action in diabetes
Mar. 4, 2021—Disrupting the action of glucagon — a pancreatic hormone that works to raise blood glucose — restores functional insulin-producing cells in mouse models of type 1 diabetes and may be a promising treatment strategy.
Gene variant and glucose metabolism
Feb. 18, 2021—Genetic variation that impacts glucose- and insulin-related signaling affects responses to type 2 diabetes treatments and warrants further study.
Potential biomarker for IBD severity, cancer risk identified
Feb. 4, 2021—A selenium transport protein produced in the colon may be a novel biomarker for assessing disease severity and cancer risk in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Gene network for leukemia factor
Feb. 4, 2021—A new method speeds the analysis of factors that control gene expression from days to minutes, allowing researchers to uncover new targets for cancer treatment.
Diabetes Day focuses on diversity, inclusion in research
Jan. 28, 2021—Vanderbilt Diabetes Day, an annual event which showcases the work of outstanding scholars and researchers in the fields of diabetes and endocrinology from throughout the United States, looked quite a bit different in November 2020 as the attendees connected virtually for sessions presented over two days.
