Project #79: Mechanisms of human ß-cell potentiation by non-glucose nutrients
This grant supports research into how non-glucose nutrients, especially amino acids, boost human beta cell insulin secretion to advance type 1 diabetes therapies.
Funder: Diabetes Research Connection
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $75,000 per project for one year; graduate students eligible for up to $50,000, postdocs/assistant professors up to $75,000.
Summary: Supports early-career researchers investigating how non-glucose nutrients, especially amino acids, influence human beta cell insulin secretion to advance type 1 diabetes therapies.
Key Information: For early-career US-based scientists only; funds must be spent within one year.
Description
This opportunity, offered through the Diabetes Research Connection, funds innovative, early-stage research focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) by early-career scientists. The specific project highlighted investigates the mechanisms by which non-glucose nutrients—primarily amino acids—potentiate human beta cell function and insulin secretion. The aim is to uncover nutrient-sensing pathways in human beta cells, using advanced live-cell imaging to track metabolic changes in real time. Insights from this research are expected to inform and optimize the development of stem cell–derived beta cells for transplantation and contribute to new therapeutic strategies for T1D.
