Engineering Improved Stem Cell-Derived Islet Cells for Replacement Therapies

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for research on understanding how to engineer inherent characteristics of stem cell-derived islet cell products that can result in improved cell replacement therapy outcomes. The funding opportunity aims to stimulate studies on targets and pathways amenable to engineering approaches and to encourage preclinical testing and validation of such strategies. Key aspects of this opportunity include: • Research on stem cell-derived islet cell products • Engineering approaches to improve cell replacement therapy outcomes • Preclinical testing and validation of strategies • Collaborative investigations combining expertise in stem cell and islet biology, transplant immunology, and type 1 diabetes autoimmunity and preclinical models • Estimated funding of $3,000,000 for 6 awards