# Mentoring Emerging Researchers at CHLA (MERCH-LA)

> **NIH NIH K26** · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES · 2024 · $98,506

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Beta cell dysfunction and death are significant pathologies underlying the development of Type 2 diabetes.
There is both clinical and molecular evidence that the pathogenesis of COVID19 may have acute and specific
effects on pancreatic beta cell function. One of the barriers to understanding how SARS-CoV2 infection may
affect beta cell function and survival in patients is the limited number of physiologically relevant animal models
to study. We have capitalized on unique access the pancreas of SCV2-innoculated animals to model and
understand how SARS-CoV2 infection affects beta cell survival, metabolism, and function. There is controversy
in the literature regarding if SARS-COV2 directly infects beta cells and affects beta cell function and survival or
if the disruption of glucose homeostasis in patients is secondary. We hypothesize that SARS-CoV2 infection
directly and acutely compromises beta cell function and survival by reprogramming cellular metabolism,
thus leaving hosts susceptible to diabetes during or after infection. These highly innovative experiments
capitalize on a unique and clinically relevant model system and employs cutting edge techniques to assess how
beta cell survival and metabolism are affected by SARS-CoV2 infection. These experiments will provide critical
mechanistic insight to the underpinnings of the emerging clinical phenotype of acute hyperglycemia, diabetic
ketoacidosis, and potentially lifelong diabetes that may afflict a significant number of patients who have
recovered from COVID19. The objective of this proposal is to protect the PI’s time to provide culturally-aware
mentoring and intensive training to graduate students from historically underrepresented backgrounds
participating in this innovative research program. This objective dovetails with the PI’s immediate and long terms
goals, which are to: (1) establish MERCH-LA (Mentoring Emerging Researchers at Children’s Hospital Los
Angeles) as a fundamental part of the educational and research infrastructure at CHLA and (2) longitudinally
track and quantify outcomes for MERCH-LA graduates into bioscience-related post-graduate careers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10925425
- **Project number:** 5K26DK138380-02
- **Recipient organization:** CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Senta K Georgia
- **Activity code:** K26 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $98,506
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-15 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10925425

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10925425, Mentoring Emerging Researchers at CHLA (MERCH-LA) (5K26DK138380-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10925425. Licensed CC0.

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