Project Grant R01DK149554

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded $763,766 to Trustees of Indiana University (Indiana University Indianapolis) on August 10, 2026, for Project Grant R01DK149554 under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847).

The award funds research investigating the role of autophagy dysfunction in type 1 diabetes onset and progression. The project will examine how impaired autophagy in beta cells promotes autoimmune vulnerability through disrupted lysosomal function and altered antigen presentation. Aim 1 will define mechanisms by which impaired autophagy promotes lysosomal exocytosis using genetic and chemical perturbations in primary human islets, EndoC-BH1 cells, and iPSC-derived islet cells, combined with advanced imaging and molecular assays. Aim 2 will determine how beta-cell-derived lysosomal cargo modulates human antigen-presenting cells to heighten autoreactive T cell recognition. The research leverages expertise from three established investigators in the field to clarify why only some beta cells become autoimmune targets and which intrinsic pathways determine vulnerability versus resistance to autoimmune attack.

Work is performed in Indianapolis, Indiana. The period of performance extends from August 10, 2026, through May 31, 2031.