Lickert Lab

Research focus

ERC Advanced Grant · 2021

Deciphering cellular and molecular mechanisms of β-cell regeneration

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) therapy was shown to regenerate β-cells in mice, but this did not translate to human. Early or intensive insulin therapy maintains residual β-cell function, but also causes weight gain and hypoglycaemia. Thus, currently no drug treatment can safely stop the progression of diabetes, a disease characterized by loss or dysfunction of insulin-producing β-cells. In breakthrough discoveries we identified the insulin inhibitory receptor (inceptor) as a druggable target for β-cell insulin sensitization and protection without the side-effects of insulin. Moreover, we combined GLP-1-mediated safe β-cell delivery of estrogen together with 60% reduced insulin therapy to…

From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.