From metabolism to immunity: rediscovering SGLT2

About the Project

SGLT2 inhibitors are widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes, yet their true potential may extend far beyond blood sugar control. Clinical trials have already shown that these drugs reduce cardiovascular events, protect the kidney, and improve survival. Surprisingly, many of these benefits cannot be explained by glucose lowering alone. This raises an exciting and urgent scientific question: what is SGLT2 really doing inside the body? In particular, does it influence the immune system, and could this explain its broad protective effects?

Recent evidence suggests that inflammation and immune dysfunction drive many long-term complications of diabetes, including heart disease, kidney failure, and cancer. Our preliminary data and emerging literature indicate that SGLT2 inhibitors may influence immune cell activity, oxidative stress, and cellular metabolism. This project will explore the bold hypothesis that SGLT2 is not just a glucose transporter, but a regulator of immune function.

The aim of this PhD is to uncover how SGLT2 affects immune cells at a molecular and functional level, bridging basic science with real-world patient biology. The project will combine laboratory-based research using mouse models and human immune cells with translational work in patients with type 2 diabetes. In cell and animal studies, we will examine how SGLT2 influences immune cell metabolism and inflammatory signalling. We will focus on identifying whether SGLT2 inhibition shifts immune cells from a pro-inflammatory to a protective state, and which molecular pathways are responsible.

The project will then extend into a clinical study, recruiting patients with type 2 diabetes who are treated with SGLT2 inhibitors. Blood samples will be used to isolate immune cells and examine how their behaviour, metabolism, and inflammatory profile change with treatment. By integrating molecular experiments with patient-derived data, this research will provide rare insight into how a widely used drug reshapes the immune system in humans.

This project is driven by a belief that science should do more than describe disease — it should help prevent it. Understanding how SGLT2 affects immunity could redefine how these drugs are used, opening opportunities for disease prevention, immune-targeted therapies, and drug repurposing. For a student motivated by impact, this project offers a chance to contribute to medicine at a fundamental level, with the potential to influence treatment strategies for millions of people worldwide.

Training opportunities:

This PhD will provide broad, hands-on training at the interface of immunology, metabolism, and translational medicine. The student will gain experience in in vivo research, including mouse handling, drug administration, tissue collection, and immune phenotyping. They will be trained in human cell biology, including isolation of immune cells from blood, cell culture, and functional immune assays. Training will include core molecular techniques such as RNA extraction, qPCR, Western blotting, and protein analysis, alongside instruction in flow cytometry, cytokine profiling (ELISA, multiplex assays), and imaging methods. The student will also be trained in clinical research methods, including ethical approval processes, patient recruitment, sample handling, and data governance. Additional training will cover data analysis, experimental design, scientific writing, and presentation skills, ensuring both technical competence and professional development.