The American Diabetes Association Research Foundation has selected two scientists, University of Virginia Health System researcher Zhenqi Liu, MD, and Stanford University School of Medicine researcher Gerald Reaven, MD, to receive the American Diabetes Association-Novo Nordisk Clinical/Translational Research Award. This $1.2 million grant program supports efforts to study the effects of intestinal hormones, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), on obesity and pre-diabetes, two risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
In receiving this award, each researcher will receive a $600,000 grant to study the role of GLP-1 in people at risk for or with diabetes. GLP-1 is a hormone secreted by L-cells located in the distal intestines that stimulates insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent fashion.
Dr. Liu's research will help to better understand the role of native GLP-1 in the progression of obesity, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The findings from this research could provide more insight into what biomarkers might be used to allow earlier intervention to prevent and/or treat obesity and/or pre-diabetes before type 2 diabetes develops.
Dr. Reaven's research will look beyond the direct effects of liraglutide, a GLP-1 analog, on glucose control and into areas such as weight control, satiety and the effects on cardiovascular risk factors such as triglycerides and blood pressure.