Project #81: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of a Novel IRE1 Inhibitor in Type 1 Diabetes
Forecasted
Project #81: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of a Novel IRE1 Inhibitor in Type 1 Diabetes supports Luka Suzuki's PAIR2 research to protect beta cells and improve blood-sugar control.
Funder: Diabetes Research Connection
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $25,000–$75,000 for one year; graduate students eligible for up to $50,000
Summary: Supports research on PAIR2 to reduce beta-cell stress, preserve insulin production, and improve blood-sugar control in Type 1 diabetes.
Key Information: DRC supports early-career scientists at U.S. institutions who are not NIH-funded principal investigators.
Description
Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) supports Project #81, led by Luka Suzuki, PhD, MD, at the University of California, San Francisco. The project investigates PAIR2, a precise small molecule designed to reduce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in insulin-producing beta cells. While immune-based therapies can slow Type 1 diabetes, they do not fully protect these cells from continuing damage and loss.
Early studies in diabetic mice showed improved blood-sugar levels and preserved beta-cell function, even after diabetes began. Dr. Suzuki will test PAIR2 in diabetic mice and in mice receiving human islets to explore its potential to protect human beta cells. The work sits within DRC’s donor-driven, peer-reviewed support for innovative, early-stage research aimed at preventing, curing, and improving care for Type 1 diabetes and its complications.
