[Breakthrough T1D](https://www.breakthrought1d.org)

January 28, 2026 (Letter of Intent) | March 11, 2026 (Full proposal)

Up to $300,000 total for 1 year (including 10% indirects for nonprofits; no indirects for for-profits)

Supports validation and refinement of advanced human-relevant in vitro and organ-on-a-chip models for Type 1 Diabetes to accelerate translational research and therapy development.

--- ## Description This grant opportunity from Breakthrough T1D funds the development, validation, and refinement of advanced organoid and organ-on-a-chip platforms that model Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) pathogenesis and therapeutic response. The initiative aims to address the limitations of traditional in vitro and animal models by supporting the use of human-relevant, physiologically representative systems integrating human β cells, immune, vascular, and/or lymphatic components. The goal is to accelerate translational research, regulatory qualification, and preclinical evaluation of Disease Modifying and Islet Cell Replacement Therapies for T1D, while reducing reliance on animal testing. Projects should benchmark advanced models against clinical data, map critical safety and efficacy endpoints, and generate data relevant to regulatory pathways. --- ## Due Dates - January 28, 2026: Letter of Intent deadline - March 11, 2026: Full proposal deadline - Informational webinar: January 15, 2026 (12PM – 12:45PM ET) - Notification of LOI outcome: February 11, 2026 - Award notification: July 2026 - Earliest anticipated project start: October 2026 --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum funding: Up to $300,000 USD total for up to 1 year (including 10% indirect costs for nonprofit applicants) - For-profit applicants (Industry Discovery and Development Partnerships): No indirect costs permitted; budget and scope must be discussed with Breakthrough T1D prior to submission - Funding mechanism: Strategic Research Agreements (SRAs) for nonprofits; Industry Discovery & Development Partnerships (IDDPs) for for-profits - Extensions beyond 1 year may be considered after discussion with Breakthrough T1D staff --- ## Eligibility - Open to domestic and foreign nonprofit organizations (universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, government units) and for-profit entities - Applicants must hold an M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.O., Ph.D., or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or equivalent at a research institution or for-profit company - For clinical studies, applicants must hold an appointment in a clinical medicine subspecialty and conduct clinical research - For-profit applicants or industry-academic collaborations must contact Breakthrough T1D prior to submission and may be subject to additional requirements (e.g., royalty payback) - Breakthrough T1D encourages applications from a diverse cross-section of researchers --- ## Application Process - Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by January 28, 2026 - If invited, submit a full proposal by March 11, 2026 - Proposals must use the template provided on the [RMS360 portal](https://www.breakthrought1d.org/explore-research/funding-opportunities/) - Proposal limit: 4 pages (single-spaced, minimum 10-point font, ½ inch margins) - All applications involving human subjects must include additional safety and study design information - For-profit applicants must discuss scope and budget with Breakthrough T1D before submitting - Review criteria: Relevance, Approach, Innovation and Translational Potential, Environment - No extensions to the submission deadlines will be given --- ## Additional Information - Preference is given to proposals using established, human-relevant in vitro platforms that are clinically relevant, tunable, reproducible, and mechanistically informative - Projects should aim to benchmark models against clinical data and integrate clinically relevant metrics (e.g., β-cell function, engraftment, vascularization, immune protection) - Projects not within scope: general in vitro platforms without T1D relevance, studies lacking human cellular components, model development without validation, or solely in silico/software modeling - Informational webinar is available for prospective applicants --- ## External Links - [Full RFA and details (PDF)](https://www.breakthrought1d.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/RFA_Organ-on-a-chip_Call-Document.pdf) - [Breakthrough T1D funding opportunities page](https://www.breakthrought1d.org/explore-research/funding-opportunities/) - [Contact Breakthrough T1D](https://www.breakthrought1d.org/contact-us/) - [Webinar Registration](https://breakthrought1d-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Epua9wfkQsWMYx_OH662CA#/registration) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Role | Email | |---------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Asja Guzman, Ph.D. | Associate Director, Research | [aguzman@BreakthroughT1D.org](mailto:aguzman@BreakthroughT1D.org) | | Madhu Prakash | Program Administrator, Research | [Mprakash@BreakthroughT1D.org](mailto:Mprakash@BreakthroughT1D.org) |

In vitro Disease Modeling: Type I Diabetes-on-a-Chip Platforms for Translational Research

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