Project description
Insight into diabetes complications
Diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and its complications extend far beyond blood sugar control. Diabetic gastroparesis, a condition where the stomach empties too slowly, causes debilitating nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Progressive loss of the nerves controlling stomach movement is central to the disease, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FERROGAST project aims to investigate whether a form of iron-dependent cell death called ferroptosis drives this neuronal loss. Researchers will employ single-nucleus sequencing, diabetic mouse models and patient biopsies to map relevant pathways and test potential therapeutic interventions.
Objective
Diabetes mellitus is one of the fastest growing health problems worldwide, and its complications have a major impact on patients’ quality of life. One of the most debilitating is diabetic gastroparesis, defined by delayed gastric emptying, causing nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Despite its prevalence, especially among women, effective treatments are lacking.
The hallmark of diabetic gastroparesis is the progressive loss of enteric neurons, which we also observed in preliminary data, but the mechanisms behind this degeneration remain unclear. Building on our previous results showing that type I interferons (IFN-I) drive ferroptosis in neurons in colitis, I propose that a similar pathway contributes to neuronal death in diabetic gastroparesis. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death driven by lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, and is emerging as a key contributor to tissue pathology. An additional central focus of the project is the role of muscularis macrophages, long-lived tissue-resident immune cells that closely interact with enteric neurons. These macrophages control oxidative stress, iron metabolism and inflammatory responses in the gut, and are therefore ideally positioned to regulate ferroptosis. I will investigate how their crosstalk with neurons and IFN-I signaling shapes neuronal vulnerability in diabetes.
To address these questions, I will use single-nucleus sequencing, diabetic mouse models, co-culture experiments with primary cells and patient biopsies. This will allow me to map ferroptosis and IFN pathways in neurons, define macrophage–neuron interactions, and test interventions such as ferroptosis inhibitors, iron chelators and IFN blockade.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
Funding Scheme
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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3000 Leuven
Belgium
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