News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

November 28, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

You may also be interested in

Apply for funding
Apply for funding

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge research grants provide funding for exceptional scientists and projects with the greatest potential to change the lives of people with type 1 diabetes.

Virtual symposium on novel insulins
Virtual symposium on novel insulins

Earlier this year, the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge brought leading experts and researchers from around the world together to share their progress, challenges and hopes for developing new forms of insulin.

Five promising research ideas for novel insulins
Five promising research ideas for novel insulins

Get inspired and discover the most exciting ideas that were discussed at our novel insulins virtual symposium.

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

September 5, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

June 22, 2023

Last month, we held a symposium on novel insulins, where experts from around the world met virtually to discuss their ideas for how to develop the next generation of insulins. Their fascinating discussion will be published in a scientific review paper later this year. In the meantime, here is a preview of five of the most exciting ideas that were discussed at the symposium.

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

A cone snail attacking a fish

A cone snail attacking a fish

Because insulin is such a big molecule, it can take a while to act. Scientists have been trying to make insulin smaller without losing any of its function, but they haven’t been successful yet. Now, researchers including Professor Daniel Chou from Stanford University are trying to mimic the chemical structure of cone snail insulin venom and tweak it slightly to improve its effectiveness in people.

If these researchers manage to create this smaller version of insulin, our skin should be able to absorb it much faster than current insulins. Ultra-fast insulins like this would reduce the time you need to wait between injecting and eating and also offer hope for fully closed loop systems, which don’t require a person to give warning of meals and exercise.

2. Oral insulin pill inspired by tortoises

The problem with taking insulin orally in a pill also partially comes down to its size. If you were to swallow a pill of insulin, it would first break down in your stomach, meaning it couldn’t work properly, and even then, it would still be too big to pass through your intestines. But world-renowned scientist Professor Robert Langer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed an ingenious pill that protects insulin and then fires it into the stomach lining.

A diagram of Professor Langer’s insulin pill design

A diagram of Professor Langer’s insulin pill design

The clever design features a tiny spring which propels an arrow of insulin directly into the stomach lining. This happens about an hour after you swallow the device, which is packed inside a biodegradable case, to allow time for it to reach the stomach. But how do you make sure the insulin is always fired into the stomach wall? That’s where the tortoises come in.

A species called the leopard tortoise is self-orienting, which means that it always stays upright. No matter how the tortoise falls or rolls, it will always end up on its feet. This clever trick is due to how its weight is distributed. Inspired by these tortoises, Professor Langer distributed the weight in his insulin pill in the same way so that it always lands with the insulin pointed down.

His pill is called SOMA (self-oriented medical applicator) and Novo Nordisk has so far tested it in 65 people with type 1 diabetes and found no bad side effects.

A leopard tortoise

A leopard tortoise

3. A weekly insulin could be coming

People with type 1 currently take a type of slow-acting insulin, known as basal insulin, once or twice a day to control blood sugar outside of eating. Researchers are developing a new generation of insulins that can work for even longer, reducing the number of injections you need. It may seem counterintuitive, but by editing insulin to make it less effective at clearing glucose, researchers can make it work for longer. This reduced function means it can stay in the body without causing hypoglycaemia.

Novo Nordisk have used this principle to create an insulin called insulin isodec, which has had very promising results in clinical trials. The company has now applied to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for regulatory approval, meaning weekly basal insulin injections could soon become a reality for people with diabetes.

4. Ways to make insulin respond to glucose

Scientists specialising in different disciplines from chemistry to bioengineering have inventive ideas about how to create glucose-responsive insulins, also known as smart insulins. An interesting idea is to create a mixture of insulin and a chemical that can sense glucose, with a large molecule to keep them together.

A team led by Professor Matthew Webber at the University of Notre Dame has developed such a mixture. The insulin mixture is an insoluble blob at a neutral pH, which means not acidic or alkaline. Then, when glucose levels rise, the pH becomes more acidic and the mixture dissolves, releasing the insulin so that it can bind to glucose. Their tests on animals have shown that a single dose of their smart insulin mixture can keep glucose levels stable for up to five days in mice and up to a week in pigs.

The glucose-responsive insulin mixture in its soluble state and its insoluble state

The glucose-responsive insulin mixture in its soluble state and its insoluble state

5. Computer models to streamline research

Treatments must be tested in animals before they can enter clinical trials with people. But lots of drugs that are effective in animals turn out not to work in humans. Professor Michael Strano and his team at MIT have developed a sophisticated computer model of the glucose control system in animals and humans, which can predict how the body will respond to different treatments. The team created the simulation using a combination of maths, biochemistry and extensive data collection from people with type 1.

Researchers can plug their drug designs into the computer model to predict whether it will work or not and edit their designs accordingly. This tool is especially useful for glucose-responsive ‘smart’ insulins because scientists all over the world are experimenting with a range of different approaches to develop them. The simulator will streamline the research process by allowing researchers to only invest time and energy in their ideas that have the best chance of success. It will save crucial time, money and effort in the research and development stage and ensure only the insulins (and other therapies for type 1) with the most potential progress to clinical trials.

Bonus: glucose-responsive glucagon

We can apply all of these ideas for creating glucose-responsive insulin to the hormone glucagon, which has the opposite effect to insulin. Glucagon stimulates glucose production and release from where it is stored in the liver, which is why it is a treatment for severe hypoglycaemia.

A glucagon emergency rescue kit to treat severe hypos

A glucagon emergency rescue kit to treat severe hypos

Dr Alborz Madavi, a researcher who founded the company Protomer, believes that a long-acting dose of glucose-responsive glucagon, which could be taken just once a week, would protect against hypoglycaemia. The smart glucagon would turn on at low glucose levels to prevent hypos and work alongside the user’s normal insulin treatment. Dr Mahdavi believes this would help people with type 1 feel less worried about overnight hypos and allow more flexibility with taking insulin.

Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge offers hope for novel insulins

The £15 million set aside by the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge to tackle the challenge of novel insulins will expand upon this exciting research to bring these innovative ideas closer to reality. From hormones that can respond to varying glucose levels, to fast- and long-acting insulin, to easier ways to take insulin without injections, novel insulins are coming, and the Grand Challenge will get us there faster.

Novel Insulin Grand Challenge
Novel Insulin Grand Challenge

While we push towards a cure, we need next generation insulins such as those that can respond to changing blood sugar levels and eliminate highs and lows. Find our more about our Novel Insulin Grand Challenge.

Novel insulins symposium
Novel insulins symposium

Leading experts and researchers from around the world came together to share their progress, challenges and hopes for developing new forms of insulin.

About us
About us

By harnessing the power of collaboration, targeting research areas with the greatest potential, and stimulating bold, innovative research at scale, we’re creating change that will improve the lives of millions of people with type 1 diabetes.

News, Video

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

May 19, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

______Content of this video______

00:00:00 Introduction to the Novel Insulins Symposium – Professor Simon Heller
00:06:04 Discovery and design of novel insulins – Dr Peter Kurtzhals
00:38:41 Glucose-responsive smart insulin and delivery patch – Professor Zhen Gu
01:09:05 Molecular Engineering of Insulin: Progresses and Challenges – Professor Daniel Chou
01:35:33 Molecular engineering of glucose-responsive insulin – Professor Matthew Webber
02:07:00 Towards oral insulin and an artificial pancreas – Professor Robert Langer
02:26:03 Ultra-stable insulin analogs and their clinical applications – Professor Michael Weiss
02:55:22 Glucose-sensing insulins – Dr Alborz Mahdavi
03:31:42 Diabetes therapeutics from computational design – Professor Michael Strano
03:59:00 Discussion Panel – All speakers
04:36:42 Concluding remarks and next steps – Ms Rachel Connor

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

May 17, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

April 27, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

You may also be interested in

Apply for funding
Apply for funding

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge research grants provide funding for exceptional scientists and projects with the greatest potential to change the lives of people with type 1 diabetes.

Virtual symposium on novel insulins
Virtual symposium on novel insulins

Earlier this year, the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge brought leading experts and researchers from around the world together to share their progress, challenges and hopes for developing new forms of insulin.

Five promising research ideas for novel insulins
Five promising research ideas for novel insulins

Get inspired and discover the most exciting ideas that were discussed at our novel insulins virtual symposium.

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

April 26, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

March 27, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

News

Funding available for transformational novel insulins research

February 27, 2023

We are excited to announce the first funding call under the Novel Insulins part of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. The funding call, titled Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator, aims to support transformative research to drive transformational therapy development.

Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator

The funding call is open to international academic researchers and small to medium sized companies from the fields of diabetes, chemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology and more to apply. We are encouraging applicants to design high risk/high reward projects that have the potential to transform insulin therapy. We welcome any project investigating a bold concept for novel insulins, including glucose-responsive insulins and insulins targeting the liver.

Funding available

We are offering initial awards of up to £500,000 for one year for the first phase of the Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator. If the projects give rise to promising results, which could benefit people with type 1, the researchers may be invited to apply for further funding of around £3 million to develop their project.

Involving people with type 1

All research projects must consider the views and needs of people living with type 1 diabetes. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) must also be taken into account within the application. We also encourage meaningful involvement of people affected by type 1 in the project as their insight improves the quality and relevance of research.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF UK, said:

“The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Novel Insulins Innovation Incubator funding call is an exciting opportunity for scientists all around the world to apply for funding to support creative work that could deliver transformative approaches to insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes. The Incubator is a new approach for the Grand Challenge and is designed to move swiftly to identify the projects with the most promise, so that research that can improve life with type 1 can get underway as rapidly as possible.”

Apply for funding

Please see further details about the funding call and how to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your letter of intent by 30 January 2024.

The very best applicants will then be invited to pitch their ideas in a 15-minute presentation to our reviewing panel on 20 February 2024.

News

New Scientific Advisory Panels

Leading international scientists appointed to advise on the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge

November 22, 2022

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge is turbo-charging the race to find new treatments and ultimately a cure for type 1 diabetes. The partnership has now successfully appointed 17 leading international scientists to advise on its £50 million investment into type 1 diabetes research. 

To help us to deliver this ambitious programme, the 17 experts are advising on the scientific scope and optimum funding mechanisms for the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge over the 5-year partnership. 

The experts join one of three independent Scientific Advisory Panels, each advising on one of the Grand Challenge research areas previously identified as carrying the most potential to improve the lives of people with type 1 diabetes and propel us towards a cure. 

  • Root causes of type 1 diabetes Panel, led by Professor Chantal Mathieu, and joined by Professor Jay Skyler, Professor Mark Atkinson, Professor Anette-Gabriele Ziegler and Professor Roberto Mallone. 
  • Beta cell replacement Panel, led by Professor Matthias Hebrok, and joined by Jorge Ferrer, Professor Doug Melton, Professor Lorenzo Piemonti, Professor Lori  Sussel and Professor Qizhi Tang 
  • Novel insulins Panel, led by Dr Tim Heise and joined by Dr David Kelley, Professor John Buse, Dr Reinhard Becker and Dr Diane McCarthy. 

All three Panels are Chaired by Professor Simon Heller, a world-renowned diabetes specialist. 

Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said: 

“We are honored to have so many of the world’s most distinguished diabetes researchers advising the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. Their expertise will help to ensure that every penny of the Steve Morgan Foundation’s £50 million gift is invested in bold, innovative research with the greatest potential to improve the lives of people with type 1 diabetes. 

“We’re delighted to see the global research community united in their support of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge and look forward to seeing new, exciting research focusing on accelerating progress towards a cure for type 1 diabetes get underway next year”

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at JDRF, said: 

“We’re delighted to welcome so many globally renowned scientists, who are already giving us the benefit of their insight and expertise as we shape this Grand Challenge. They are ensuring the research we support through this game-changing partnership will best meet the needs of people living with type 1. The calibre of membership we’ve been able to attract to the new panels is testament to how thrilling the new research, supported by the partnership, will be.”