Translating genetic discoveries into clinical practice
While all patients with T2D have elevated blood sugar, the mechanisms driving their diabetic state, and their responses to treatment, can vary greatly from patient to patient. This variability calls for a deeper understanding of how genetic variants impact human physiology and therapeutic response — which, in turn, should fuel the development of precision medicine approaches for diabetes treatment.
To achieve this, the BDI uses human genetic and clinical data to:
- Define genetic- and process-specific subclassifications of T2D
- Enable genetic prediction of treatment response, progression, comorbidities, and outcomes
- Generate evidence that would support the use of genetic information in treatment decision-making
To complement functional studies in cellular and animal models, the Diabetes Initiative has collaborated on a variety of clinical studies, including major NIH-sponsored clinical trials such as:
- The , which compared the effectiveness of insulin glargine, liraglutide, sitagliptin, and glimepiride when added to metformin at lowering HbA1c
- The nationwide , which conducts clinical and genetic research in partnership with patients who have been diagnosed with diabetes but who do not fit the usual pattern of type 1 or type 2.
