Deniz Atasoy awarded a 5-year, $1.9 million NIH R01 Research Grant

Dr. Deniz Atasoy, PhD, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology has been awarded a 5-year, $1.9 million National Institute of Health (NIH) R01 Research Grant for his project titled “Targeting Ascending Catecholamine Pathways to Prevent Hypoglycemia”. The goal of this project is to identify brain circuits that protect against hypoglycemia and determine the neuronal mechanisms underlying blunted glucose counterregulation, which is a potentially deadly condition that many people with diabetes are prone to develop.

According to the CDC, over 30 million Americans live with diabetes with more than a quarter of adults over 65 years suffer from its debilitating sequela. Although insulin is a commonly used and effective treatment, it comes with the risk of causing fatal hypoglycemia since most diabetic patients have impairment in glucose-regulating brain pathways that normally counteracts sharp drops in blood glucose. By investigating brain mechanisms through which hypoglycemia counterregulation is impaired, we aim to discover potential avenues of intervention to restore brain circuits that protect against fatal hypoglycemia.

Congratulations to DRC member Dr. Deniz Atasoy!