The publication, NIDDK Recent Advances & Emerging Opportunities, is a document that the NIDDK has issued annually since 2001. It is a compendium that highlights examples of the many research advances published by NIDDK-funded scientists and their colleagues in the most recent fiscal year, along with the technologies that made these achievements possible. Thus, most of the research findings described in the February 2009 compendium were published in fiscal year 2008. In addition to research advances, the compendium includes:
- "Stories of Discovery," which trace research progress in specific areas over a much longer period of time;
- "Scientific Presentations," which have been made by eminent researchers during 2008; and
- "Patient Profiles," which recount the personal stories of several patients whose lives have been adversely affected by disease.
A detailed table of contents can be found below.
This publication is one means of conveying the important accomplishments that have resulted from NIDDK-funded research, as well as the enormous promise this research holds for the future. The examples given here are representative of the much larger and more diverse research portfolio funded by the NIDDK. This compendium is a web-based publication, which is also presented to the NIDDK’s National Advisory Council in printed form each January or February.
The following documents are presented in PDF format. PDF documents can be viewed using the free Adobe® Acrobat® Reader software. To view PDF documents using common screen readers, download the free Acrobat® Reader with Accessibility features. Please report technical problems to dkwebmaster@extra.niddk.nih.gov
Download Entire Document (PDF, 16.8 MB / 128 Pages)
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Message from the Director (PDF, 504 KB / 2 pages)
Cross-Cutting Science (PDF, 3.2 MB / 14 pages)
- Building on Recent Genetics Studies: Paving the Way Toward Improving People’s Health
- NIH Roadmap for Medical Research
- Stem Cells, Progenitor Cells, and Disease Approaches
- Reprogramming Human Skin Cells To Embryonic Stem Cell-like Pluripotency
- New Stem Cell Resource To Advance Understanding of Human Diseases and Disorders
- Identification of Progenitor Cells in the Adult Pancreas that Form Insulin-Producing Beta Cells
- Purified Stem Cell Transplants Capable of Repopulating the Liver
- Bacterial Interaction with Gastric Stem Cells Related to Stomach Cancer Development
- Stem Cell Gene Therapy with a HOXB4-expressing Retroviral Vector Causes Leukemia in Large Animals
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Inflammation
- Understanding How Fish Oil Reduces Inflammation
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Research
- NIDDK Scientists Identify Key Steps in Processing of HIV Proteins
- Dr. Alexandra McPherron and Dr. Michelle Winn: NIDDK Scientists Receive Presidential Award
- Dr. Bert O’Malley Wins National Medal of Science: Long-term NIDDK Grantee Pioneered Molecular Endocrinology
- NIDDK Releases New Awareness and Prevention Series for Community Health Events
Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (PDF, 3.7 MB / 32 pages)
- Genetics of Diabetes
- Consortium Identifies Six More Genetic Variants Affecting Likelihood of Type 2 Diabetes
- Genetic Variation Contributes to the Regulation of Glucose Levels in Humans
- Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes
- Discovery of a New Marker for Pre-clinical Type 1 Diabetes
- New Clues to the Link Between Type 1 Diabetes Susceptibility and the Immune System—Effects of the PTPN22 Gene
- Targeting the Immune System To Combat Type 1 Diabetes
- Gut Bacteria and Type 1 Diabetes
- Gut Microbes Protect Against Type 1 Diabetes in Mice
- Beta Cells and Diabetes
- Adult Pancreas Cells Reprogrammed to Insulin-producing Beta Cells
- New Insights into the Molecular Contributors to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
- Diabetes and Its Complications
- First Year of Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) Trial Yields Encouraging Results
- Hearing Loss Is Common in People with Diabetes
- Depression and Diabetes—Clues to the Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health
- Intensive Lowering of Blood Glucose May Be Harmful to Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and a High Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
- Regulators of Metabolism in Health and Disease
- A Novel Pathway To Promote New Blood Vessel Growth
- Powering Up Mice with PEPCK-C
- A New Chemical Tool for Studying a Protein Implicated in Type 2 Diabetes
- Cystic Fibrosis Research
- New Animal Model To Study Cystic Fibrosis
- Story of Discovery: Ability To Predict Type 1 Diabetes Offers Hope for Disease Prevention
- Story of Discovery: Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
- Scientific Presentation: Dr. Michael Czech—RNAi-based Therapeutic Strategies for Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases
- Patient Profile: Charlotte Cunningham—With Type 1 Diabetes, “Time Is of the Essence”
- Patient Profile: Verner Thomas—DEPLOY Lifestyle Interventions Delay, Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Obesity (PDF, 2.3 MB / 18 pages)
- Molecular Contributors to Obesity
- In the Eye of the Beholder—The Sight of Food Elicits Different Brain Responses after Weight Loss, Due to Changes in the Hormone Leptin
- Rev-ing Up Metabolism and Fat Cell Development
- Rats Susceptible To Developing Obesity from a High-Calorie Diet Exhibit Reduced Density of Brain Cell Connections
- The Power of Hunger—the Hormone Ghrelin Harnesses Brain Cells’ Energy Machines To Increase Appetite
- A Role for the Immune System in Protecting Against Obesity and Insulin Resistance
- Determinants of “Brown” Fat Formation
- Brown or Brawn—Brown Fat and Muscle Cells Share Common Origins, with Fate Determined by PRDM16
- Building Brown Fat with BMP-7
- Lifestyle Intervention To Reduce Obesity in Children
- Strategy To Reduce Screen Time for Young Children—Beneficial Effects on Body Weight
- Potential Medical Intervention Strategies To Combat Obesity and Its Associated Conditions
- Drugs Boost Exercise Endurance in Mice
- Encouraging Metabolic Results in Test of a Candidate Therapeutic for Cardiovascular Disease Risk
- Dr. Rudolph Leibel and Dr. Natasha Leibel: Combating Obesity and Diabetes Is a Family Affair
- Story of Discovery: Leptin as a Treatment for Lipodystrophy: A Translational Success Story
- Scientific Presentation: Dr. Patrick Tso—Food Intake and Body Weight: Regulation by Apo A-IV in the Brain
Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (PDF, 2.7 MB / 26 pages)
- Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
- The Number of Genes Associated with Crohn’s Disease Soars to 30 and Beyond
- Specialized Intestinal Cells and Crohn’s Disease
- Screening for Colon Cancer
- Disparities Found in the Prevalence of Colon Polyps for African Americans and Caucasians
- Barrett’s Esophagus Risk Factors
- Fruits and Veggies Help Protect Against Barrett’s Esophagus
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome Contributors
- New Insights into the Pain Associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Celiac Disease in Children
- New Antibody Test To Detect Early Childhood Celiac Disease
- Inherited Diseases of Nutrient Metabolism
- Menkes Disease—A New Strategy for Therapeutic Design
- Liver Fat Metabolism and Contributors to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- New Role for Molecular Factor in Regulating Liver Fat Metabolism
- Gene Variant Linked to Disparity in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Risk
- Hepatitis C Treatment and Early Detection of Progression to Liver Cancer
- Immune Molecule Gives Clue to Differential Treatment Responses in Chronic Hepatitis C
- Unique Gene Expression Patterns Found in Early Liver Cancers
- Liver Transplant Outcomes
- Evaluating Outcomes in Recipients and Donors of Living Donor Liver Transplants
- National Commission on Digestive Diseases
- Story of Discovery: Hepatitis B Research Progress: A Series of Fortunate Events
- NIH Consensus Development Conference on Management of Hepatitis B
- Scientific Presentation: Dr. David Perlmutter—Liver Disease in Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency: Organ-specific Complications Arise from a Misfolded Protein
- Patient Profile: Mariah Watts—Bariatric Surgery—Weighing the Pros and Cons
Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (PDF, 4.9 MB / 25 pages)
- Elucidating the Genetics of Kidney Disease
- New Insights into a Common Form of Kidney Disease
- Rare Mutations in Kidney Salt Handling Genes Confer Reduced Blood Pressure
- Genome-wide Scan Identifies Genetic Regions Linked to Diabetic Kidney Disease
- Genetic Link to Kidney and Eye Complications of Diabetes
- Developing New Treatments for Kidney Disease
- Novel Mechanism of Action of a Drug Used To Treat Kidney Disease
- Reducing Blockage Fails To Improve Access to the Bloodstream for Kidney Dialysis
- Chronic Kidney Disease Substantially Worsens in a Fourth of African Americans Despite Recommended Therapy
- Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease
- Ominous Findings in Study of Chronic Kidney Disease
- Polycystic Kidney Disease Research
- Genetic Predisposition, Cell-cell Signaling, and Cyst Development in Polycystic Kidney Disease
- Urology Research
- “Intracellular Bacterial Communities” Detected in Urinary Tract Infections in Women
- Common Gut Bacteria May Reduce Risk of Kidney Stone Formation
- Brain Reacts to Bladder Disease
- Hematology Research
- New Insights into Gene Regulation During Blood Cell Development
- Genetic Cause Identified for Iron Deficiency in Individuals Unresponsive to Oral Iron Supplementation
- “Nix”-ing Mitochondria as Part of Red Blood Cell Maturation
- A Strategic Plan for Prostate Research
- Story of Discovery: Newly-identified Genetic Variations Account for Much of the Increased Burden of Kidney Disease among African Americans
- Scientific Presentation: Dr. Paul M. Palevsky—More Intensive Dialysis Does Not Improve Outcomes among Patients with Acute Kidney Injury
- Patient Profile: James Willingham—Vascular Access—A Major Component To Treating Kidney Failure with Hemodialysis
Acknowledgements (PDF, 88 KB / 1 pages)
