# Multi-omics approach to understanding the beneficial effects of exercise in diabetes

> **NIH NIH F32** · JOSLIN DIABETES CENTER · 2020 · $80,358

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Determining the molecular mechanisms mediating the health benefits of exercise is a challenging, but extremely
important undertaking, that can lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets. The significance of this
area of research is underscored by the large-scale NIH initiative “Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity
Consortium” (MoTrPAC), which aims to understand the molecular footprint of exercise in healthy humans and
rats. While the extensive, in-depth data provided by MoTrPAC will be a landmark project, this consortium will
only study healthy humans and rodents. Thus, the molecular footprint of exercise under conditions of obesity
and other metabolic diseases may remain largely unknown, even in the post-MoTrPAC era. The overall goal of
this project is to use state-of-the art omics platforms to discover the mechanism by which exercise training
improves health under conditions of metabolic disease. Specific Aims are to determine: a) tissue-specific
changes in cell types and cell composition in response to exercise and diet; b) tissue-specific transcriptional
responses and activation of molecular pathways that can reverse the unfavorable metabolic effects of diet-
induced obesity; and c) cell-type and tissue crosstalk in both lean and obese mice. Analysis of these complex
data using computational biology tools has the power to unravel the molecular basis of disease and identify
therapeutic targets. This large-scale project has two phases. The first phase includes the collection of multiple
tissues from insulin resistant mice treated with or without exercise and second phase is multi-omics and
bioinformatics analysis of these samples. The first phase of this project has recently been completed by the
applicant, allowing for a feasible 2-year research plan to complete the second phase of the project. For the first
phase, mice were divided in four groups: sedentary chow-fed; trained chow-fed; sedentary high fat diet-fed; and
trained high fat diet-fed. Diet treatments were for 6 weeks and exercise training was done by housing mice with
free access to a running wheel for 3 weeks. Seven tissues known to play significant roles in metabolism were
collected: triceps, subcutaneous and visceral white adipose tissue, small intestine, hypothalamus, hippocampus
and brain cortex. Phase 2 of this project is to perform single-cell transcriptomics and metabolomics on all
collected tissues followed by data analysis and integration using computational biology tools. The applicant’s
training plan will include dedicated mentorship by both Dr. Laurie Goodyear (sponsor) in the areas of exercise,
metabolism, and diabetes, and Dr. Manolis Kellis (co-sponsor) for multi-omic approaches and computational
biology. The applicant will also complete formal bioinformatics training through Harvard and MIT. These activities
will provide her with the necessary tools critical for development as an independent physician scientist. This
project will no...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10068518
- **Project number:** 1F32DK126432-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOSLIN DIABETES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Maria Vamvini
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $80,358
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10068518

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10068518, Multi-omics approach to understanding the beneficial effects of exercise in diabetes (1F32DK126432-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10068518. Licensed CC0.

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