Unlock $12M for Diabetes Research & Therapies!
Summary
NIH is seeking innovative researchers to join a consortium focused on revolutionary diabetes cell-replacement therapies and regeneration strategies. This U01 grant offers significant funding to advance critical research in beta cell biology for treating diabetes.
Eligibility
Full Description
Purpose. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases invite new U01 applications to participate in a consortium of investigators, the Beta Cell Biology Consortium (BCBC); www.betacell.org . The BCBC will work collaboratively to facilitate research in the following areas: 1) use cues from pancreatic development to directly differentiate pancreatic beta cells and islets from stem/progenitor cells for use in cell-replacement therapies for diabetes; 2) determine how to stimulate beta cell regeneration in the adult pancreas as a basis for improving beta cell mass in diabetic patients; 3) determine how to reprogram progenitor/adult cells into pancreatic beta-cells both in-vitro and in-vivo as a mean for developing cell-replacement therapies for diabetes; and 4) investigate the progression of human type-1 diabetes using patient-derived cells and tissues transplanted in humanized mouse models. The BCBC will be responsible for collaboratively generating the necessary reagents, mouse strains, antibodies, assays, protocols, technologies and validation assays that are beyond the scope of any single research effort proposed by the investigators.
Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the U01 grant mechanism. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. The total amount of funding that the NIDDK expects to award through this announcement in FY2010 is $12 million.
The anticipated number of awards is 6-10. Although the financial plans of the NIDDK provide support for the first two years of this program, awards pursuant to this FOA, particularly in years 3 to 5 of the awards, are contingent upon the availability of funds.