Project #80: Nano-in-microgel long-acting combination drug delivery platform for localized immunomodulation to prevent allogenic islet graft immune rejection in extrahepatic transplantation sites
Forecasted
Project #80 supports Dr. Dhanashree Surve’s research on localized combination drug delivery to protect transplanted islet cells from immune rejection and reduce reliance on lifelong immunosuppression.
Funder: Diabetes Research Connection
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: DRC grants: $25,000–$75,000 for one year; graduate students eligible for up to $50,000
Summary: Project #80 develops localized drug delivery to protect transplanted islet cells from immune rejection in type 1 diabetes.
Key Information: Project #80 is an active funded project; DRC’s application process supports eligible early-career researchers at U.S. institutions.
Description
Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) supports Project #80, led by Dr. Dhanashree Surve at the University of Miami. The project develops a nano-in-microgel biomaterial system to deliver anti-inflammatory and immune-calming drugs directly at extrahepatic islet transplantation sites. Its drug combination targets innate immune cells that drive inflammation and recruit beta-cell-specific T cells, alongside T cells that attack beta cells.
Localized, time-controlled immunomodulation could improve transplanted islet survival and function while eliminating the need for lifelong systemic immunosuppression, which carries risks of serious infection, kidney problems, and cancer. The project is classified under Cure and Immunotherapy. DRC’s broader donor-driven program funds novel, peer-reviewed, discovery-stage type 1 diabetes research by early-career scientists, supporting one-year experiments in cure, care, complications, and prevention.
