Research Description
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is affecting more adults every year, with the number of young adults with T2DM steadily increasing. Methods to predict those at the highest risk for worsening disease and diabetes-related complications (eye disease, kidney failure, and heart disease) are desperately needed. It is therefore proposed to subtype young-onset T2DM (age <45 years) via a family-based approach using clinical parameters in a United States population. One of the largest, multigenerational genealogical databases in the United States, which includes ethnic minorities and is linked to electronic health records, will be accessed. The data from this database will help classify the types of young-onset T2DM at the highest risk for disease progression and complications. 50-100 families at the highest risk will be identified. From these families and after informed consent, 20 individuals will undergo genetic testing to determine disease-associated genetic variants. The information gathered from this study will lead to further testing in this specific population to aid continued risk prediction. The next steps will be disease prevention and treatment studies to stop the onset of T2DM in those at the highest risk, and individualize treatment regimens to halt disease progression and complications in those with T2DM at the highest risk for complications.Research Profile
What area of diabetes research does your project cover? What role will this particular project play in preventing, treating and/or curing diabetes?More and more young adults are developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. This project's goal is to identify which young adults are at the highest risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and then determine the specific clinical and genetic characteristics unique to them. This information will help figure out if an individual is at high risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and therefore start preventative strategies. It will also help determine the risk of complications in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
If a person with diabetes were to ask you how your project will help them in the future, how would you respond?This project will help determine an individual's risk of diabetes-related complications if the person has type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Why important for you, personally, to become involved in diabetes research? What role will this award play?In every generation of my family, more than half of the siblings have type 2 diabetes mellitus. My personal risk and risk to my children are extremely high. I am personally committed to finding out ways to identify each individual's unique risk and help prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus in my family and the community. This award is of utmost importance in helping me start my future career as a physician-scientist and learning from the greatest in the field of precision medicine for type 2 diabetes mellitus.
In what direction do you see the future of diabetes research going?This project will branch off into diabetes prevention and treatment of young-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus. The data from this project will help identify young adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus so we can target preventative strategies to stop the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It will also help identify who is at risk for which diabetes-related complication and thereby allow us to choose medications specifically targeted to prevent these complications.