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Many exciting projects simply couldn’t
get off the ground. Until now.

Choose one or more projects you want to support.
100% of your donation, directed to a research project, will go to that scientist’s laboratory.

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Active Research Projects

Geming Lu, MD
Project #85: BNIP3-Mediated Mitophagy Regulates ß-Cell Identity and Immunogenicity in T1D
  • Geming Lu, MD
  • City of Hope
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Jeong-Su “Jay” Do, PhD
Project #83: CD318 orchestrates immune regulation and supports beta-cell function in T1D
  • Jeong-Su “Jay” Do, PhD
  • City of Hope
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Luka Suzuki, PhD, MD
Project #81: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of a Novel IRE1 Inhibitor in Type 1 Diabetes
  • Luka Suzuki, PhD, MD
  • University of California, San Francisco
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Dhanashree Surve, PhD
Project #80: Nano-in-microgel long-acting combination drug delivery platform for localized immunomodulation to prevent allogenic islet graft immune re …
  • Dhanashree Surve, PhD
  • University of Miami
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Project #79: Mechanisms of human ß-cell potentiation by non-glucose nutrients
  • Donghan “Max” Shin
  • University of California, Davis
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Armando Puente
Project #78: Mechanisms and Delivery of FGF19 in Type 1 Diabetes
  • Armando Puente
  • University of Chicago
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Valentia Pita Grisanti, PhD
Project #77: Protection Against Type 1 Diabetes Development by mTOR/4E-BP2 Signaling
  • Valentia Pita Grisanti, PhD
  • University of Miami
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Vira Kravets, PhD
Project #76: Assessing spatial heterogeneity of the alpha cell dysfunction and testing its connection to the islet-specific T cells in T1D
  • Vira Kravets, PhD
  • University of California, San Diego
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Eric Januszkiewicz, PhD
Project #75: Investigating the Role of KLF4 in Maintenance of Alpha Cell Identity
  • Eric Januszkiewicz, PhD
  • University of Colorado
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Project #74 : The cGAS-STING pathway mediates podocyte injury in type I diabetes Institution: Case Western Reserve University
  • Agustin Gonzalez-Vicente, PhD
  • Case Western Reserve University
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Janielle Cuala
Project #73: Gestation Drives Adaptive Dynamics in Beta Cell Metabolism, Function, and Heterogeneity
  • Janielle Cuala
  • Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
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Christina Gangemi, PhD
Project #72: Optogenetics to stimulate maturation of functional replacement beta cells from human stem cells
  • Christina Gangemi, PhD
  • Stanford University
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Project #71: A synthetic biological glucose sensing and regulating system for blood glucose control
  • Eric Petersen, PhD
  • Central Michigan University
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Project #69: Role of miR-192 in the derivation of pancreatic islet tissue from pluripotent stem cells
  • Chrystal Guzman
  • University of Washington School of Medicine
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Project #70: Combined inhibition of RANKL/RANK and DYRK1A pathways for T1D therapy
  • Nagesha Guthalu Kondegowda, Ph.D.
  • Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope
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Shiri Levy
Project #68: Direct reprogramming pancreatic ductal cells into insulin-producing cells by controlling the epigenome using AI-designed mini-protein Epi …
  • Shiri Levy, PhD
  • University of Washington School of Medicine 
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Leeana Peters
Project #66: Investigating the role of risk locus BACH2 rs72928038 in limiting adaptive immune repertoire diversity and promoting effector memory phen …
  • Leeana Peters, PhD
  • University of Florida
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Project #67: Identifying an autoreactive B-cell signature in at-risk T1D individuals
  • Lindsay Bass
  • Vanderbilt University
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Andrade Picture in Lab
Project # 64: aE-catenin: Gatekeeper of Endocrine cell proliferation & ß-cell Regeneration
  • Mark Andrade
  • University of Washington
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Project #63: The role of PD-L1 in beta cell extracellular vesicles in type-1 diabetes
  • Chaitra Rao, Ph.D
  • Indiana University
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Project #62: LGR4-ECD: A potential therapeutic for type 1 diabetes-related beta cell stress
  • Joanna Filipowska, Ph.D.
  • City of Hope
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Project #59: Determine the role of viral infections and viral-insulin carrying viruses in T1D pathogenesis
  • Aurelien Chuard, Ph.D.
  • Boston College
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Project #60: GPER, inflammation and diabetic kidney disease
  • Carmen De Miguel, Ph.D.
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Pending Research Projects

Satish Sen, PhD
Project #87: Leveraging circadian biology to enhance the function and the survival of transplanted human stem cell-derived ß-cells for the treatment …
  • Satish Sen, PhD
  • Mayo Clinic
Pending
Keiichiro Mine, PhD
Project #86: Elucidation of the Regulatory Mechanisms of Naïve T Cells by Gut Microbial Metabolites for Therapeutic Strategies in T1D
  • Keiichiro Mine, PhD
  • Boston College
Pending
Gabriella Cynthia Giese
Project #84: Microbial architects: How yeast cell wall components activate islet resident macrophages to drive beta-cell expansion
  • Gabriella Cynthia Giese
  • University of Colorado, Boulder
Pending
Pavel Zakharov, PhD
Project #82: How intra-islet macrophages regulate CD4+ T cell phenotype to suppress Type 1 diabetes
  • Pavel Zakharov, PhD
  • Washington University
Pending

Partner Academic Institutions

DRC has distributed approximately
 $4.1M to research

Completed Projects

RCG in lab
Generating stem cell-derived beta cells that are protected from human autoimmune diabetes
Roberto Castro-Gutierrez, MD
University of Florida Diabetes Institute
CatharinaVillaca-approved-pic-cropped
Reversing beta cell dysfunction in type 1 diabetes
Catharina Villaca, MS
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Kirsten Lavelle
Project #57: Precision genetics for type 1 diabetes prevention
Kristen Lavelle, MD
University of California, San Francisco
Using bacteriophages to introduce insulin constructs into skin microbiota
Ayako Murao, Ph.D
J. Craig Venter Institute
DOC2b enrichment for the prevention and/or reversal of Type 1 Diabetes
Diti Chatterjee Bhowmick, Ph.D
Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope
Protection of the retina from hypoxic damage due to diabetes
Silke Becker, Ph.D
University of Utah, John A. Moran Eye Center
Immunoglobulin-A (IgA) signature in the gut microbiome of type 1 diabetes progressors
Khyati Girdhar, Ph.D
Boston College
The role of UCP2 in the maturation of stem cell-derived beta-like cells
Maria Hansen, MS
University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus
In individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the insulin-producing beta cells are spontaneously destroyed by their own immune system. The trigger that provokes the immune system to destroy the beta cells is unknown. However, accumulating evidence suggest that signals are perhaps first sent out by the stressed beta cells that eventually attracts the immune cells. Stressed cells adapt different stress mitigation systems as an adaptive response. However, when these adaptive responses go awry, it results in cell death. One of the stress response mechanisms, namely the integrated stress response (ISR) is activated under a variety of stressful stimuli to promote cell survival. However, when ISR is chronically activated, it can be damaging to the cells and can lead to cell death. The role of the ISR in the context of T1D is unknown. Therefore, in this DRC funded study, we propose to study the ISR in the beta cells to determine its role in propagating T1D.
Role of the integrated stress response in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis
Charanya Muralidharan, Ph.D.
University of Chicago
zhang
Wearable Skin Fluorescence Imaging Patch for the Detection of Blood Glucose Level on an Engineered Skin Platform
Jian Zhang Ph.D
University of Chicago
Leo-Ferreira-colortest
A Potential Second Cure for T1D by Re-Educating the Patient’s Immune System
Leonardo Ferreira, Ph.D
Medical University of South Carolina
Sandra Mara F.
Understanding How a Pancreatic Molecule (GABA) Works May Lead to a New Treatment for T1 and T2 Diabetes
Sandra Mara Ferreira, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Han Zhu
Validating the Hypothesis to Cure T1D by Eliminating the Rejection of Cells From Another Person by Farming Beta Cells From a Patient’s Own Stem Cell …
Han Zhu, Ph.D.
The University of California, San Diego
JRDwyer 2022 Lab 1
Taming a Particularly Lethal Category of Cells May Reduce/Eliminate the Onset of T1D
Jennifer Dwyer, Ph.D.
The Jackson Laboratory
Melanie
Can the Inhibition of One Specific Body Gene Prevent Type 1 Diabetes?
Melanie Shapiro, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Kahkoska Headshot
Stakeholder-Engaged Precision Health for Longevity and Healthy Aging with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
Anna Kahkoska, M.D., Ph.D.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Regeneration Ability of Residual Beta Cells
Is Cholesterol Exacerbating T1D by Reducing the Functionality and Regeneration Ability of Residual Beta Cells?
Rehana Akter, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Xin Tong
A Call to Question… Is T1D Caused by Dysfunctionality of Two Pancreatic Cells (β and α)?
Xin Tong, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt University
Ashe
Improving Islet Transplantation Treatment by Overcoming a Critical Roadblock for Beta-Cell Survival via Synthetic Gene Circuits that Generate “Self- …
Sudipta Ashe, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
Basu
Deciphering Maternal Type 1 Diabetes-Induced Embryonic Defects
Madhumita Basu, Ph.D.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Yao Wang
Will understanding why normally good but aging beta-cells accumulate with the progression of T1D unlock the mystery of this disease?
Yao Wang, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
flavia pecanha
Novel therapy initiative with potential path to preventing T1D by targeting TWO components of T1D development (autoimmune response and beta-cell survi …
Flavia Pecanha, Ph.D.
University of Miami
Balamurugan Dhayalan, Ph.D.
Engineering an Insulin/Glucagon Fusion Protein
Balamurugan Dhayalan, Ph.D.
Indiana University
Abhishek Kulkarni
Targeting Polyamine Biosynthesis for the Prevention of T1D
Abhishek Kulkarni, Ph.D.
University of Chicago
Schafer Boeder
Combination Insulin and Non-Insulin Therapy to Address Multiple Metabolic Abnormalities in Type 1 Diabetes
Schafer Boeder, MD
University of California, San Diego
Using Autonomous Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Improve Early Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy in Children with T1D
Risa Wolf, MD
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Michael Kalwat
Preventing and Possibly Curing T1D by Blocking the Autoimmune Attack of Pancreatic Beta Cells
Michael Kalwat, Ph.D.
Indiana Biosciences Research Institute
Zoe Quandt
Advancing T1 Prevention and Cure Solutions from Cancer Research
Zoe Quandt, MS, MD
University of California San Francisco
Dr. Hughes
A New Signal to Halting T1D
Jing Hughes, MD, Ph.D.
Washington University School of Medicine
Jeremy Racine
Do Classical T1D Patients Share Genetic Makeup with ICI-Induced T1D Patients?
Jeremy Racine, Ph.D.
The Jackson Laboratory
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We grant up to $75,000 to support each research project

#InnovativeDiabetesResearch

 
Donate Now
Submit a Project

Many exciting projects simply
couldn’t get off the ground. Until now.

Choose one or more projects you want to support. 100% of your donation, directed to a research project, will go to that scientist’s laboratory.

Submit A Research Project
Active Research ProjectsCompleted Projects
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We grant up to $75,000 to support each research project

#InnovativeDiabetesResearch

Donate Now
Submit A Project
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