Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-06-18

Genetics and epigenetics of Type 2 Diabetes physiology

Objective

Failure to elucidate Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) physiology frustrates efforts to improve therapeutics. Although GWAS has identified 40 T2D genes, mostly expressed in pancreatic beta-cells, this explains no more than 10% of T2D inheritance. Up to 5% of T2D patients have dominantly inherited maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), characterized by beta-cell dysfunction. Elucidating the genetics of familial early-onset T2D, using Whole-Exome Sequencing (WES) can bring breakthroughs in understanding insulin secretion physiology. DNA methylation, particularly in insulin sensitive tissues may also contribute to T2D. Newly-developed genome-wide methylation arrays can be used to identify associations with these epigenetic elements and T2D. In the proposed project, GEPIDIAB, I will take advantage of our MODY family DNA collection and multi-tissue biobank to 1: identify novel genetic causes of familial T2D (WP1) and 2: identify DNA methylation variation associated with T2D (WP2). In WP1, unresolved MODY-X families will be studied using WES to identify novel sequence changes. Then we will elucidate the cellular and metabolic mechanisms leading to beta-cell dysfunction caused by these novel mutations. In WP2, variation in DNA methylation at 450K sites across the genome will be studied in normoglycemic or diabetic bariatric surgery patients. Five separate tissue samples will be studied to identify tissue-specific variation, individual-specific variation and that which varies between cases and controls. We will explore whether there are T2D-specific patterns of methylation that are distinct from those in lean or obese normoglycemic subjects using bisulfite-whole genome sequencing. Overall, we will identify genome-wide methylation patterns that are cell and tissue-specific and disease-specific for five main tissues important in T2D. Together, genetics and epigenetics will complement each other to give a deeper understanding of both insulin deficiency and resistance.

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.

You need to log in or register to use this function

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.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

ERC-2011-ADG_20110310
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.

ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant

Host institution

IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
EU contribution
€ 1 481 218,30
Address
SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD
SW7 2AZ London
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
London Inner London — West Westminster
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

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.

No data

Beneficiaries (2)

My booklet 0 0