Project #76: Assessing spatial heterogeneity of the alpha cell dysfunction and testing its connection to the islet-specific T cells in T1D
Forecasted
Project #76 supports Vira Kravets at UC San Diego in studying alpha cell dysfunction and immune targeting as possible triggers of type 1 diabetes, potentially informing prevention and treatment.
Funder: Diabetes Research Connection
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Application closing deadline)
Funding Amounts: DRC program: $25,000–$75,000 for one year; graduate students up to $50,000
Summary: Project #76 investigates whether alpha cell dysfunction and immune targeting can trigger type 1 diabetes.
Key Information: Project #76 is an active funded study; the application rules below concern DRC’s early-career research program.
Description
Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) supports Project #76, led by Vira Kravets, PhD, at the University of California, San Diego. The study examines whether pancreatic alpha cells—which secrete glucagon to raise blood glucose—may become dysfunctional and face immune targeting before beta cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D). It combines functional microscopy, immunological assays, and network theory to investigate relationships among alpha cells, beta cells, and immune cells.
The project uses a systems biology approach to test alpha cell dysregulation as a potential trigger for T1D, potentially opening new directions for prevention and treatment. DRC’s broader donor-driven program funds novel, early-stage T1D research by early-career scientists, supporting one-year experiments focused on cure, care, complications, and prevention.
