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Our strategic and funding research panels

We’ve convened experts from around the world to rigorously review every research application we receive. With their recommendations, we can be confident that we’re only funding the very best science that will make the biggest difference to people living with type 1 diabetes, as fast as possible.

Illustration of a pair of lab goggles

Scientific Advisory Panels

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge takes counsel from three Scientific Advisory Panels. These are independent panels of leading international scientists with specialist diabetes knowledge.

Over the five-year funding period, they advise the Partnership on the scientific scope and optimum funding mechanisms for the three research streams which make up the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge.

CHAIR

Professor Simon Heller

Professor Heller is a world-renowned diabetes specialist and Chair of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Scientific Advisory Panels.

He is Professor of Clinical Diabetes at the University of Sheffield, Director of Research and Development and Honorary Consultant Physician at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust and National Diabetes Speciality Lead for the NIHR Clinical Research Network.

Professor Heller is being supported on each Panel by a subject-matter expert Vice-Chair.

  • Root Causes of Type 1 Diabetes Scientific Advisory Panel
    • Professor Simon Heller (Chair), University of Sheffield
    • Professor Chantal Mathieu (Vice Chair), KU Leuvan
    • Professor Jay Skyler, University of Miami
    • Professor Mark Atkinson, University of Florida
    • Professor Annette-Gabriele Ziegler, Technical University of Munich
    • Professor Roberto Mallone, Université Paris Cité
  • Beta Cell Therapies Scientific Advisory Panel
    • Professor Simon Heller (Chair), University of Sheffield
    • Professor Matthias Hebrok (Vice Chair), University of California
    • Professor Jorge Ferrer, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    • Professor Doug Melton, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
    • Professor Lorenzo Piemonti, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
    • Professor Lori Sussel, University of Colorado
    • Professor Qizhi Tang, University of California, San Francisco
  • Novel Insulins Scientific Advisory Panel
    • Professor Simon Heller (Chair), University of Sheffield
    • Dr Tim Heise (Vice Chair), Profil
    • Dr David Kelley, Physician-Scientist in metabolism research, previously of Merck
    • Dr John Buse, University of North Carolina
    • Dr Reinhard Becker, board certified physician and chemist, previously of Sanofi-Aventis
    • Dr Diane McCarthy, US Pharmacopeia

Funding Panels

Our funding panels are made up of researchers and people living with type 1 diabetes. They review applications to specific funding calls within the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge and help to decide which projects we should fund.

  • Immune Insights Funding Panel
    • Dr Joseph Hedrick (Chair), Critical Path Institute (C-Path)
    • Professor Peter van Endert, Université Paris Descartes
    • Professor Decio Eizirik, ULB Brussels
    • Professor Iria Gomez-Tourino, University of Santiago de Compostela
    • Dr Markus Lundgren, Lund University
    • Dr Todd Brusko, University of Florida
    • Dr Sarah Dimeloe, University of Birmingham
    • Jake Bromley, Expert by experience
    • Sarah Gatward, Expert by experience
  • Beta cell therapies reviewer college
    • Professor Alan Stitt, Queen’s University Belfast
    • Dr Alice Tomei, University of Miami
    • Professor Andrew Pepper, University of Alberta
    • Professor Anthony Gavalas, TU Dresden
    • Professor Bruce Verchere, University of British Columbia
    • Professor Eelco de Koning, Leiden University
    • Professor Ekaterine Berishvili, University of Geneva
    • Professor Emmanuel Tzanakakis, Tufts University
    • Professor Francesco Dotta, University of Siena
    • Professor Gina Rayat, University of Alberta
    • Professor Gregory Korbutt, University of Alberta
    • Professor Joachim Stoerling, University of Copenhagen
    • Professor Jochen Seufert, University of Freiburg
    • Professor Karine Hellemans Vrije, Universiteit Brussel
    • Professor Lucienne Chatenoud, Université Paris Cité
    • Professor Cristina Nostro, University of Toronto
    • Professor Mark Kearney, University of Leeds
    • Professor Mark Van de Casteele Vrije, Universiteit Brussel
    • Professor Nia Bryant, University of York
    • Professor Nikolay Ninov, TU Dresden
    • Professor Paul de Vos, University of Groningen
    • Professor Peter Thompson, University of Manitoba
    • Professor Quinn Peterson, Mayo Clinic
    • Professor Raphael Scharfmann, INSERM
    • Professor Simona Chera, University of Bergen
    • Professor Steven Paraskevas, McGill University
    • Professor Timo Otonkoski, University of Helsinki
    • Professor Xi (Charlie) Ren, Carnegie Mellon University
    • Professor Omid Veiseh, Rice University
    • Professor Gordon Weir, Harvard Medical School
    • Professor Stephan Speier, TU Dresden
  • Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator Funding Panel
    • Jaivir Pall (Chair), Expert by Experience
    • Dr Tim Heise, Profil
    • Dr Chandrabali Bhattacharya, University of Nevada
    • Dr Simone Perazzolo, University of Washington
    • David Mitchell, Expert by Experience
    • Dr Reinhard Becker, board certified physician and chemist, previously of Sanofi-Aventis

Putting people affected by type 1 diabetes at the heart of research.

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge brings together scientists and the type 1 community to drive forward progress in areas that matter most to people with type 1.

How to get involved
Scientific equipment