Objective
We are currently experiencing a fast-growing diabetes pandemic. Both type 2 diabetes and rare monogenic forms of diabetes, such as neonatal diabetes, are characterised by impaired insulin secretion. This project seeks to resolve the fundamental mechanisms underlying insulin secretion and its failure in diabetes. We have shown that activating mutations in the ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel cause neonatal diabetes, which has enabled children with this disease to switch from insulin injections to oral sulphonylurea drugs (which block their open KATP channels and stimulate insulin release). The most severe mutations also cause neurological symptoms that, for unknown reasons, are less well treated by sulphonylureas. We aim to: obtain a detailed mechanistic understanding of how nucleotides and drugs regulate KATP channel activity by combining state-of-the-art structural and functional approaches; define how drug therapy affects glucose homeostasis in neonatal diabetes; and explore how activating KATP channel mutations affect glucagon release from pancreatic alpha-cells. We will also investigate how severe KATP channel mutations cause neurological symptoms (such as developmental delay, reduced sensitivity to general anaesthetics and impaired eye movements) and determine how these might be alleviated by drug therapy. While underpinned by my previous work, this project takes my research in new directions, including structural analysis of eukaryotic membrane proteins, stimulus-secretion coupling in other types of islet cell, and neurological studies in humans as well as animal models. It involves a broad multidisciplinary approach, addresses questions of fundamental scientific importance, and has a strong translational element. We expect our studies will be of direct benefit to patients with neonatal or type 2 diabetes.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology pandemics
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine endocrinology diabetes
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine anaesthesiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2012-ADG_20120314
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.