Basic and Translational Research in Diabetes
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About the Research
The fundamental questions addressed by the basic and translational investigators in the Diabetes Unit are:
- What are the genetic foundations of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance?
- What are the mechanisms involved in beta cell destruction?
- What are the limitations of the beta cell regenerative capacity?
- Why does obesity cause insulin resistance?
- How can genetics aid in the identification and validation of new drug targets?
A better understanding of the molecular, cellular and genetic underpinnings of insulin resistance and beta cell failure and how these lead to diabetes will lead to novel prevention strategies and new treatments. Present treatments for type 2 diabetes remain unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons, and as the incidence of this disease continues to rise, concomitant with the prevalence of obesity, improved therapy is greatly needed.
The Genetics of Diabetes
Today, scientists know little more than that there is an inherited component to the risk of getting diabetes and on the subsequent development of complications. It appears that diabetes is caused by the combined action of many weakly acting genetic causes. Clearly, variations in these genes must explain the predisposition to diabetes but the identification of the predisposing genes has, until now, been an insurmountable challenge.
The Human Genome Project has provided a basic map of over 90% of the DNA comprising human chromosomes. This map enables scientists to better understand the genetic basis for our differences. In most cases, very few differences are found when comparing the same gene between two different individuals. When there are differences, they tend to affect only one or a few of the basic building blocks of genes, called nucleotides. Nevertheless, since we have so many genes, these few differences per gene add up to many thousands of variations in total.
Current Research Projects
Translational Research
Diabetes Genomic and Precision Medicine
Our researchers are global leaders in the field. Our research is clinically informed, with close connections to the MGH Diabetes Genetics Clinic.
- Diabetes Genomic Mechanisms
- Diabetes Genomic Epidemiology & Precision Medicine (DGEP)
- Laura Brenner, MD
- Sara Cromer, MD
- Jose Florez, MD, PhD
- Aaron Leong, MD
- Josephine Li, MD
- Alisa Manning, PhD (Co-Director)
- Josep Mercader, PhD (Co-Director)
- Camille Powe, MD
- Miriam Udler, MD, PhD (Co-Director)