Diabetes Centers

On this page:

• Funding for Diabetes Centers
• Resources and Services Available from Diabetes Centers
  • Diabetes Research Centers (DRCs)
  • Centers for Diabetes Translation Research (CDTRs)
• Related Links
• Research Resources
• Additional Research Programs
• Meetings & Workshops

Funding for Diabetes Centers

NIDDK’s Diabetes Centers program supports extramural research institutions that have established an existing base of high-quality, diabetes-related research. The program supports and enhances interdisciplinary research in diabetes but does not directly fund major research projects; rather, it provides core resources to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and interdisciplinary cooperation of Center investigators conducting research in diabetes and related areas of endocrinology and metabolism.

NIDDK funds Diabetes Centers via P30. Please see the Diabetes Research Centers (DRC) application resources or the Centers for Diabetes Translation Research (CDTR) application resources for tables and additional documentation required in all Diabetes Centers applications.

Centers are funded on the following review schedule:

• CDTR: announcements are published once every 5 years
• DRC: are published three times every 5 years

Resources and Services Available from Diabetes Centers

NIDDK Diabetes Centers generate investigative resources that are available to the broader research community. Centers also provide short-term enrichment activities, as well as pilot and feasibility programs that fund small research grants designed to generate preliminary data for larger grant applications.

For more information about each Diabetes Center’s aims, shared resources, pilot and feasibility programs, enrichment programs, and activities, please visit their websites:

Diabetes Research Centers (DRCs)

The DRCs promote new discoveries and enhance scientific progress through support of cutting-edge basic and clinical research related to the etiology and complications of diabetes, with the goal of rapidly translating research findings into novel strategies for the prevention, treatment and cure of diabetes and related conditions. DRCs are intended to improve the quality and multidisciplinary nature of research on diabetes and related endocrinology and metabolism research by providing shared access to specialized technical resources and expertise and by creating an environment that supports important and innovative research. DRCs are expected to raise awareness and interest in fundamental and clinical diabetes research at their institutions, as well as locally, regionally, and nationally.

• Research Aims: Investigations primarily target the minority and other served under populations prevalent among the residents of the Bronx and Manhattan, adjacent Westchester county, and other boroughs comprising New York City. The primary research efforts encompass both type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM) diabetes and related metabolic defects.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Animal Physiology Core
    • Immuno-Technology
    • The Human Islet & Adenovirus
    • Stable Isotope & Metabolomics
    • Translational Research
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    •  Supports
      • New investigators with interests in diabetes or related metabolic and endocrine disorders, including junior investigators shifting from mentor-based research to an independent career. Meritorious applications from new investigators receive priority for funding.
      • Established faculty in other areas who wish to apply their expertise to diabetes research.
      • Diabetes Center members who wish to explore a new area of research that constitutes a substantive departure from their on-going work.

• Research Aims: The center fosters research in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and endocrine diseases and their complications and ultimately to improves the lives of endocrine patients.
• Activities & Services
  
  • Cores
    • Transgenic and Knockout Mouse
    • Metabolic and Molecular Physiology
    • Transcriptional Genomics
      
    • Epigenetic and Genomics
    • Human Genetics
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    • The DRC P&F mechanism will fund innovative new projects that will explore the feasibility of novel testable concepts and enhance the endocrine/diabetes research scope within the institutions. 

• Research Aims:
  • The University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) is world renowned for basic, translational, and clinical diabetes research and treatment of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (T1D and T2D), and their related complications.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Clinical Resource
    • Tissue Procurement and Processing
    • Cell and Tissue Analysis
    • Disease Modeling
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    • The UC Denver Pilot & Feasibility Program will recruit young faculty into diabetes and diabetes-related research and encourage established investigators from other fields to enter the diabetes field.

University of Michigan

• Research Aims: The goal of the MDRC is to establish, promote, and enhance multidisciplinary and collaborative basic biomedical and clinical research among member investigators studying diabetes, its complications, and related endocrine and metabolic disorders.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Animal Studies Core
    • Clinical Core
    • Molecular Genetics Core
    • Microscopy, Imaging, and Cellular Physiology Core
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    • Proposals must focus on type 2 translational research in diabetes: the translation of research advances into widespread clinical or community practice. The research may focus on the identification of barriers to widespread adoption of new science and the testing of interventions to overcome those barriers. 

University of Pennsylvania

• Research Aims: Supports research in diabetes and endocrinology via Scientific Cores, a Pilot and Feasibility Grant Program, and a series of seminars, retreats and other activities that facilitate communication and collaboration of DRC investigators while keeping them abreast of the latest discoveries in diabetes and endocrinology.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Functional Genomics Core
    • Metabolomics Core
    • Islet Cell Biology Core
    • Mouse Phenotyping, Physiology and Metabolism Core
    • Radioimmunoassy/Biomarker Core
    • Transgenic and Chimeric Mouse Core
    • Viral Vector Core
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    • The P&F program is particularly directed at new investigators and established investigators new to diabetes research. Established diabetes investigators pursuing high impact/high risk projects or projects that are a significant departure from their usual work are also eligible for support under the DRC P&F program. Applications are welcome from basic, clinical and translational investigators.

University of Washington

• Research Aims: Facilitating and enhancing diabetes research to find a cure to diabetes.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Cell Function Analysis Core
    • Cellular and Molecular Imaging Core
    • Quantitative and Functional Proteomics Core
    • Vector and Transgenic Mouse Core
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    • Intended to develop new research in the area of diabetes and its complications at the University of Washington.

Washington University

• Research Aims: Our long-term goal is the development of new preventive strategies and therapies aimed at improving the lives of Americans with diabetes and those at risk for diabetes and related metabolic disorders.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Diabetes Models Phenotyping Core
    • Transgenic & ES Cell Core
    • Translational Diagnostics Core
    • Cell and Tissue Imaging Core
    • Metabolic Tissue Function Core
    • Metabolomics Core
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program

Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center

• Research Aims: The Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center (DRTC) is a NIH-sponsored Diabetes Center that facilitates the discovery, application, and translation of scientific knowledge to improve the lives of people with diabetes. Our investigators conduct basic, clinical, and translational research on the etiology, prevention, treatment, and complications of diabetes and obesity. The DRTC supports core facilities that enhance diabetes-related research and organizes an Enrichment Program of seminars and small groups that create a dynamic and inclusive environment for the training of the next generation of scientists. We invite you to collaborate or interact with us as we work to reduce the burden of diabetes.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Hormone Assay & Analytical Services Core
    • Animal Metabolic Physiology Core
    • Human Metabolic Physiology and Genomics Core
    • Islet and Pancreas Analysis
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program

Yale University

• Research Aims: The scope of the research activities of the membership is very broad, ranging from basic molecular biology to whole body clinical physiology in patients with diabetes.
• Activities & Services
  • Cores
    • Cell Biology Core
    • Clinical Metabolism Core
    • Diabetes Translational Core
    • Physiology Core
    • Molecular Genetics Core
  • Pilot & Feasibility Program
    • Priority will be given to new collaborative investigations.

Centers for Diabetes Translation Research (CDTRs)

The CDTR  mission is to improve translation of research related to diabetes prevention, treatment,  by supporting research across the translational research spectrum (e.g., moving from efficacy to testing effectiveness in real world practice and communities and dissemination and implementation science).  CDTRs are intended to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and multidisciplinary and multisectoral nature of diabetes translation research through shared access to specialized technical expertise and resources.  CDTRs' expertise includes intervention adaptation and refinement, development of measures, techniques, processes, methods, and practices related to diabetes translation research. These innovative Centers along with their diverse partnership models provide the infrastructure needed to advance translational research in health disparities  by providing core services and consultation at their local institutions, as well as resources regionally and nationally.

• NIH Common Fund

  Learn about current projects and view funding opportunities sponsored by the NIH Common Fund.

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