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June/July
2025 NEWSLETTER
| | RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH | | |
Pancreatic β-cell regeneration in situ by the ALK3 agonist THR-123
Scientists at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami have shown that the small peptide THR-123, originally designed as an agonist of the BMP receptor 1A (ALK3), can trigger regeneration of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, restoring normal blood sugar levels in pre-clinical experimental models.
Led by Drs. Juan Domínguez-Bendala and Ricardo Pastori at the DRI, this discovery builds on over a decade of work uncovering the potential of dormant progenitor cells that reside within the pancreatic ducts. These stem-like cells, found also in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) (Qadir et al., PNAS, 2020), can be reactivated to form new pancreatic tissue when the organ is stressed and/or by exposure to growth factors such as BMP ligands. In fact, earlier work from these investigators (Doke et al, Cell Metabolism, 2023) showed that BMP-7 could regenerate functional beta cells ex vivo in live pancreatic slices from T1D donors. The current study advances this concept by testing a BMP-7 mimetic in live diabetic models. Additionally, using cultured pancreatic slices, the DRI investigators were able to visualize the transition of ductal progenitor cells into glucose-responsive insulin-producing cells in real time. Dynamic single-cell RNA sequencing provided further confirmation of this plasticity, identifying a transitional ducto-acinar stage (mirroring processes previously observed in human pancreatic tissue) that led to beta cell differentiation.
Manuscript Information: Pancreatic β-cell regeneration in situ by the ALK3 agonist THR-123. Álvarez-Cubela, S., Altilio, I.D., Doke, M. et al.Pancreatic β-cell regeneration in situ by the ALK3 agonist THR-123. Nat Commun 16, 6121 (2025). PMID: : 40610457
| | NIDDK 75th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION | | |
In celebration of National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) 75th anniversary, a collection of review articles and commentaries are posted online at Diabetes and Diabetes Care. The series illustrates important scientific and medical progress in understanding, preventing, and treating diabetes.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIView all articles HERE
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIThe HIRN specific article can be found HERE
| | NIH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES | | |
RFA-DK-26-009: New Investigator Gateway Awards for Collaborative T1D Research (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The New Investigator Gateway Award in T1D Research is designed to support a robust pipeline of innovative projects and talented new investigators in T1D research. Embedding awardees within an established scientific framework in each of these consortia will provide unique opportunities for New and Early Stage Investigators to increase their understanding of key questions in the field, to network, and to establish unique and potentially long-lasting collaborations that will propel their careers forward. Bringing New and Early Stage Investigators into existing collaborative research networks also will benefit the networks by infusing new ideas and perspectives. *Foreign applications not allowed.
Application due date:
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The Human Islet Research Network (HIRN) announces new funding initiatives to support the use of existing HIRN datasets and resources to explore unique and innovative hypotheses designed to accelerate breakthroughs and advances in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The Human Islet Research Network (HIRN) Data Scholars Award (DSA) Program provides:
- Funding for data-science centered or driven projects submitted via a streamlined process to the HIRN Human Islet Research Enhancement Center (HIREC). Projects will use existing datasets from HIRN and related T1D partner programs and/or resources to design studies or create resources that are responsive to specific initiatives in this announcement.
- Opportunities to collaborate with HIRN investigators and programs and efficiently exchange ideas and resources to accelerate innovation in T1D research.
Depending on the initiative (there are currently two opportunities), awardees will receive either $50,000 or $1,000. Learn more HERE.
KEY DATES
Application Due Date: November 1, 2025
Scientific Review: December 2025
Start Date: February 2026
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PanKbase announced an opportunity to support the timely adoption of rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science into the PanKbase platform. Awardees are expected to share all data and AI products generated through the awarded projects via the PanKbase platform and through close collaboration with the PanKbase team. The priority areas of interest will be updated annually. In 2025, two types of applications will be considered:
- Partner Programs: Proposals from programs that are interested in partnering with PanKbase to enhance the interoperability and harmonization between their platforms and PanKbase, by leveraging generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and/or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).
- Research Teams: Proposals from teams developing foundational models or AI agents of the pancreas with a focus on type 1 diabetes (T1D), as well as AI applications that integrate multimodal data, or enhance the usability, accessibility, or training capabilities of PanKbase.
KEY DATES
Application Due Date: August 31, 2025
Start Date: November 15, 2025
Eligibility: IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIForeign applications are not eligible
| | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: 2025 RACHMIEL LEVINE-ARTHUR RIGGS DIABETES RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM | | |
Register today to attend the 2025 Rachmiel Levine-Arthur Riggs Diabetes Research Symposium which will be held in Pasadena, California from November 14-17, 2025. Abstract authors are eligible for travel stipends, poster session presentation, and participation in the general program.
Abstract Due: Friday, August 25, 2025.
For more information, scan the QR code below or learn more HERE.
| | Below is a summary of the most recent job postings by category (Faculty, Research Staff/Admin, Postdoc). Visit the HIRN Website for a full listing of job opportunities. | | |
The Leuven Diabetes Lab is seeking an ambitious Principal Investigator with a strong background in immunology or beta-cell biology to join, and ultimately take over, leadership of the lab, currently headed by Prof. Chantal Mathieu and managed by Dr. Conny Gysemans. The lab’s mission is to advance the understanding and treatment of type 1 diabetes through innovative research, spanning beta-cell preservation, immune modulation, and translational approaches.
As part of this position, candidates may be eligible for enhanced ERC funding, recently expanded to support top global researchers relocating to Europe, making this a unique opportunity for outstanding scientists from the US or other countries to establish a high-impact research program in a world-class environment. Join us in shaping the future of type 1 diabetes research and working toward a world without type 1 diabetes. Interested candidates should send a CV and brief description of research interests to Dr. Chantal Mathieu and Dr. Conny Gysemans.
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Assistant or Associate Professor
The University of Florida Diabetes Institute (UFDI), associated with the Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, is seeking applicants for a full-time tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. We are seeking candidates with a strong publication record and history of NIH or foundation grant funding in the area of diabetes research or its complications. Individuals who apply for this position should submit a cover letter, a summary statement outlining the focus and future vision for their research program. The applicant will need to provide at least three letters of recommendation from senior scientists. The letters of reference may be uploaded or sent directly to the Director of the UFDI and search committee chair, Dr. Todd Brusko.
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Postdoctoral Position
We are seeking highly motivated, detail-oriented, and collaborative individuals with excellent writing and verbal communication skills to join our research team. Experience in animal physiology, molecular biology, and cell biology are desired. Additional experience in transcriptomics, metabolomics, or bioinformatics are desirable, but not required. A recent PhD in biology or a related field is required. Projects in the laboratory are centered on elucidating the molecular and transcriptional mechanisms involved in the regulation of beta cell proliferation and mitochondrial metabolism, delta cell function, islet paracrine signaling, and stem cell-derived islet generation. Interested applicants please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae, including the names of three references, to: Dr. Richard Cox.
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Postdoctoral Position
The Integrative Immunology and Cell Design Laboratory at Penn Medicine is seeking postdoctoral fellows to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying T cell antigen recognition in autoimmunity, cancer, and infectious diseases. Our research employs high-throughput antigen discovery, single-cell genomics, and synthetic biology to map T cell specificity using platforms such as TScan-I (Cell, 2019), TScan-II (Cell, 2023), and TCR-MAP (Nature Biotechnology, 2024). Successful candidates will join a multidisciplinary team to advance our understanding of T cell-mediated immune surveillance and tolerance while contributing to translational research. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV, and reference contacts to: Dr. Mohammad Haj-Dezfulian.
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