Novel Technologies to Detect Disrupted RNA Processing Events in Diabetic Islets
Contact PI: Lori Sussel, PhD, University of Colorado, Denver (DP1 DK147830)
Start Date: August 15, 2026
Abstract
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (T1D and T2D) are characterized by progressive dysfunction and loss of pancreatic islet cells, yet the molecular mechanisms linking environmental stress to islet failure remain incompletely understood. While previous studies have focused largely on changes in gene expression, emerging evidence suggests that post-transcriptional RNA processing events—including RNA modifications and alternative splicing—play critical roles in determining islet cell function, survival, and adaptation to diabetic stress. We hypothesize that dynamic N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modifications regulate alternative splicing programs that enable islet cells to respond to changing metabolic and inflammatory environments, and that chronic dysregulation of these processes contributes to α- and β-cell dysfunction during diabetes progression. This project represents a new direction that bridges epitranscriptomics, RNA biology, and diabetes research.
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