An observational study in Diabetes, sponsored by National Institute on Aging (NIA). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 120 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-26.
Sponsored by National Institute on Aging (NIA) · Observational
Among 10 studies in Diabetes Mellitus by National Institute on Aging (NIA) — 1 open to participants now, 2 under way, none of them phase 3. Diabetes Mellitus · National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Among the 10 studies in Diabetes Mellitus by National Institute on Aging (NIA), this one is the only one that started in 2017, is one of 6 observational ones, and was the 10th registered.
8,290 studies on the registry are indexed under Diabetes Mellitus; 1,077 are open to participants now.
Browse Diabetes Mellitus studies →1 of the 10 studies in Diabetes Mellitus by National Institute on Aging (NIA) is open now, in 1 country.
By country, each count listing its studies:
Of the 651 Diabetes Mellitus studies recruiting now, 357 (55%) set no upper age limit and 198 (30%) stop at 75 or younger; 87 take children under 18; 183 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years to 120 Years · all sexes · healthy volunteers too.
The full table on the hub →This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
10 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2002; this study’s year is marked. 1 started in 2017.
This study's planned enrollment of 250 is close to the median of 246 across 1,936 observational studies indexed under Diabetes Mellitus.
Median enrollment 53 across the 4 interventional studies, 238 across the 6 observational. Of the 8 that completed or were terminated, 3 (38%) have results posted.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
National Institute on Aging (NIA) is the lead sponsor of 160 studies on the registry; 13 are open to participants now.
Of its 7 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (29%) have results posted.
1 of the studies in Diabetes Mellitus by National Institute on Aging (NIA) that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 0 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT03366168National Institute on Aging (NIA)Taste Bud-Derived Stem Cells in Humans | 2026-12-31 |
Among the 10 studies in Diabetes Mellitus by National Institute on Aging (NIA), from their registry updates:
Nothing recorded among them since 2026-09-25.
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Background:
Stem cells are found in body tissues. They can regenerate into more of the same cells or become other types of cell. Researchers want to use stem cells from taste buds to try to make cells that secrete insulin. Taste buds are found mostly on the tip and sides of the tongue. Researchers also want to study if the number of taste buds and stem cells decrease as people age. They will remove small pieces of tongue tissue (about the size of a pen tip). The taste buds will grow back. It is hoped that studying taste bud stem cells can lead to new diabetes treatments.
Objectives:
To see if stem cells from taste buds can be isolated in humans.
Eligibility:
Healthy adults at least 18 years old
Design:
Participants will be screened with:
Participants will have 1 study visit. They will not eat or drink anything 8 hours before.
Participants will be called a week later to see how the
OBJECTIVES AND SPECIFIC AIMS:
The objectives of this proof-of-concept study are: (1) to investigate whether stem cells, normally present in tongue epithelium at the base of taste buds, can be propagated in the lab; if it is, then we wish (2) to investigate whether the stem cells can be differentiated into glucose-responsive insulin-secreting cells; (3) to investigate if the number of lingual-derived stem cells and their propagation rate are affected by age; (4) to investigate if the differentiation capability of the stem cells changes as a factor of aging.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND METHODS:
Ninety participants, thirty in each age group: ages 18-39 years, 40-59 years and 60 years old or older will be recruited for this pilot study. Of the thirty participants in each age group, fifteen will be men and fifteen will be women. Each eligible participant will have up to 5 fungiform papillae biopsied on the anterior part of the tongue during Visit 1.
MEDICAL RELEVANCE AND EXPECTED OUTCOME:
The development of this technique and its standardization to harvest these stem cells in humans is important for future therapeutic interventions, and may be an invaluable method for assessing novel cell based regenerative treatments for diabetes.
One hundred twenty participants, forty in each age group: ages 18-39 years, 40-59 years and 60 years and older will complete the pilot study. Of the forty participants in each age group, twenty will be men and twenty will be women.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Creatinine clearance (CrCl)
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Ages 18-39 years
Ages 40-59 years
Ages 60 years old or older
To demonstrate that in humans, epithelial stem cells isolated from the base of human taste buds can be propagated.
Stem cells will be isolated from the taste buds within the fungiform papillae, propagated in vitro, and then differentiated into glucose responsive insulin secreting cells.
Time frame: Pilot Study
To demonstrate that in humans, stem cells isolated from human taste buds can be differentiated into glucose responsive insulin secreting cells
To demonstrate that in humans, stem cells isolated from human taste buds can be differentiated into glucose responsive insulin secreting cells
Time frame: Ongoing
To quantify stem cell numbers and propagation rates as a factor of age.
To quantify stem cell numbers and propagation rates as a factor of age.
Time frame: Ongoing
To investigate if differentiation capability of the stem cells changes as a factor of age.
To investigate if differentiation capability of the stem cells changes as a factor of age.
Time frame: Ongoing
Plan to share: No — This is a pilot study and no data/samples will be shared.
Started Dec 2017 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2026, 108 months after the start.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
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National Institute on Aging (NIA) →