Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF): Biomarkers of Pancreatic Beta Cell Stress and Health - Letter of Intent

JDRF seeks proposals to support and advance the discovery, development, and/or validation of biomarkers of pancreatic beta cell stress and dysfunction. Studies based on use or validation with human beta cells/islets and clinical samples or tissues will be of special interest. Collaborative efforts engaging investigators with complementary expertise are highly encouraged. Examples of pertinent topics include, but are not limited to:

- Ex vivo studies with human islets to identify potential biomarkers (such as misfolded proteins, microRNAs, alternatively spliced proteins, unique post-translational protein modifications, etc.) which are enriched in beta cells, are shed or released in response to stress induction, and would be detectable in blood, urine or other accessible body fluids.

- Pre-clinical studies with animal models of diabetes, aimed at discovery of potential biomarkers in blood or other body fluids, correlating with temporal changes in beta cell stress and function, including plans for early validation with human islets/beta cells.

- Studies aimed at validating putative beta cell stress biomarkers in serum or other body fluids, based on use of currently available and well characterized clinical samples from people at risk or recently diagnosed T1D, or from islet transplant patients.

- Identification or validation of serum biomarkers, based on studies performed with transplanted human islets in relevant animal models correlating with changes in beta cell stress.

- Discovery of a panel of unique metabolomic biomarkers of beta cell stress and early beta cell dysfunction, detectable in serum or other body fluids.

- Studies based on use or validation of candidate biomarkers, with available serum or other body fluid samples from diabetic subjects, or clinical studies, will be of special interest.

Funding: Pilot & Feasibility Grants: up to $110,000 for one year: Strategic Research Agreements: up to $750,000 over 3 years.

http://jdrf.org/grant-center/grant-opportunities-and-deadlines