Novo Nordisk Foundation grant for KI researcher in type 2 diabetes
Amir Ata Saei, assistant professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology has been awarded the Novo Nordisk Foundation Excellence Emerging Investigator Grant within Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025.
Congratulations! Tell us about your project.
“Type 2 diabetes and obesity are major health challenges, often linked to insulin resistance, where the body’s cells fail to respond properly to insulin. White adipose tissue (body fat) is critical for regulating blood sugar, but its function is disrupted in insulin resistance. Bariatric surgery, a weight-loss procedure, significantly improves insulin sensitivity, sometimes even before weight loss, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear," says Amir Ata Saei, assistant professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, KI.
"This project aims to identify proteins and metabolites in blood and fat tissue that drive these changes. By analyzing samples from patients before and after surgery and during insulin sensitivity tests, the study will pinpoint key molecular factors. These will be tested in advanced lab models to understand their roles in improving fat cell function. Using machine learning, the research will also design potential new drugs, paving the way for better treatments for type 2 diabetes and related conditions.”
Who is taking part in the study?
“The project will be led by me, and involves collaborations with Prof. Mikael Rydén, Dr. Niklas Mejhert, and Prof. Volker Lauschke at Karolinska Institutet, Prof. Morteza Haghir Chehreghani at Chalmers University of Technology, and Prof. Daniel Globisch at Uppsala University.”