NDSU and Sanford Health Launch GLP-1 Research Collaboration to Optimize Patient Outcomes
North Dakota State University and Sanford Health are teaming up for a major new research project. Together, they want to find out how well new GLP-1 weight-loss medications actually work for patients over time. To get things started, NDSU, Sanford Health, and the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services are chipping in a total of $210,000. The study will bring together experts from different fields to look at how these drugs affect everything from a person’s body to their daily behavior.
The official name of the project is PREDICTors of Clinically Relevant Outcomes on GLP-1 Treatment for Obesity. GLP-1 drugs work by acting like the natural hormones our bodies make after we eat, which help control appetite and blood sugar. Because these drugs are so powerful, the research team wants to track a mix of different results. They will look at how much weight patients lose, changes in muscle mass, how often people fall, changes in alcohol or drug use, overall happiness, and medical bills.
The research team includes scientists who specialize in medicine, human behavior, and pharmacy. They are especially interested in how our biology, like the tiny bacteria living in our gut, interacts with our feelings. For instance, they want to see how gut health links to food cravings, mood swings, and constant thoughts about eating. The lead researchers point out that our bodies directly drive our habits, and figuring out this connection will explain why different patients have such different experiences on these drugs.
This study will take place across two major Sanford Health research centers in Fargo and Sioux Falls, alongside NDSU’s pharmacy advancement center. By working together, the teams can combine their unique skills to get a much clearer picture of patient health. This work is incredibly urgent right now. Recent data shows that about 12 percent of adults in the United States have used a GLP-1 medication, meaning millions of people could benefit from the findings.
NDSU and Sanford Health actually have a 25-year history of working together on federally funded studies. In the past, they spent years tracking how weight-loss surgeries affect patients over the long run. This new project is a natural next step for them. It allows the team to take the exact same research tools they used for surgery patients and apply them to the popular weight-loss shots people are using today.
The leadership team at NDSU believes this work will change how doctors prescribe these medications in the future. Right now, these shots are often viewed as simple weight-loss tools, but the goal is to turn them into personalized medicine that protects a patient’s metabolism and brain health. On top of that, the study will look closely at how to stop people from losing too much muscle and how to keep the gut healthy. The team will use this initial pilot project to gather enough data to apply for much larger national grants down the road.North Dakota State University and Sanford Health are teaming up for a major new research project. Together, they want to find out how well new GLP-1 weight-loss medications actually work for patients over time. To get things started, NDSU, Sanford Health, and the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services are chipping in a total of $210,000. The study will bring together experts from different fields to look at how these drugs affect everything from a person’s body to their daily behavior.
The official name of the project is PREDICTors of Clinically Relevant Outcomes on GLP-1 Treatment for Obesity. GLP-1 drugs work by acting like the natural hormones our bodies make after we eat, which help control appetite and blood sugar. Because these drugs are so powerful, the research team wants to track a mix of different results. They will look at how much weight patients lose, changes in muscle mass, how often people fall, changes in alcohol or drug use, overall happiness, and medical bills.
The research team includes scientists who specialize in medicine, human behavior, and pharmacy. They are especially interested in how our biology, like the tiny bacteria living in our gut, interacts with our feelings. For instance, they want to see how gut health links to food cravings, mood swings, and constant thoughts about eating. The lead researchers point out that our bodies directly drive our habits, and figuring out this connection will explain why different patients have such different experiences on these drugs.
This study will take place across two major Sanford Health research centers in Fargo and Sioux Falls, alongside NDSU’s pharmacy advancement center. By working together, the teams can combine their unique skills to get a much clearer picture of patient health. This work is incredibly urgent right now. Recent data shows that about 12 percent of adults in the United States have used a GLP-1 medication, meaning millions of people could benefit from the findings.
NDSU and Sanford Health actually have a 25-year history of working together on federally funded studies. In the past, they spent years tracking how weight-loss surgeries affect patients over the long run. This new project is a natural next step for them. It allows the team to take the exact same research tools they used for surgery patients and apply them to the popular weight-loss shots people are using today.
The leadership team at NDSU believes this work will change how doctors prescribe these medications in the future. Right now, these shots are often viewed as simple weight-loss tools, but the goal is to turn them into personalized medicine that protects a patient’s metabolism and brain health. On top of that, the study will look closely at how to stop people from losing too much muscle and how to keep the gut healthy. The team will use this initial pilot project to gather enough data to apply for much larger national grants down the road.
