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Mark Huising, Ph.D.

College of Biological Sciences 
Diabetes 
 

NIH-Funded Research on How the Body Controls Insulin

Diabetes affects millions of people, but what if we could better understand how the body naturally regulates blood sugar? At 91��Ƭ Davis, Mark Huising is leading NIH-funded research to study how beta cells in the pancreas work together with neighboring cells that secrete other hormones that control insulin secretion. These cells play a critical role in keeping blood sugar levels stable, but in diabetes, they stop working properly. Huising’s research looks at how beta cells communicate and what causes them to fail and how they respond to popular diabetes and weight loss drugs such as Ozempic or Wegovy. His work could lead to better treatments that help the body regulate insulin naturally, reducing dependence on medication. 

Helping Humanity

Huising’s research brings hope by uncovering how the body naturally controls insulin and how ‘miracle’ weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy work so well for many people, but not everyone. This knowledge could lead to better treatments and or disease prevention. Without continued federal funding, progress will stall, leaving millions waiting for new solutions. Supporting this research means investing in longer, healthier lives and giving future generations a chance to live without the burden of diabetes. 

“[Reduced federal funding] is already stymieing the vital trainee pipeline that U.S. biotech and pharmaceutical companies rely on to maintain the edge in their internationally competitive fields.” 

—Mark Huising