Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Pennsylvania received a $162,500 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2028. This award funds investigator-initiated research designed to elucidate the functional connection between RNA editing and Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in humans. The research applies human genetics, genomics, and molecular biology approaches to investigate how insufficient RNA editing caused by T1D risk variants contributes to elevated interferon immune response observed in pancreatic islets and immune cells of T1D patients.

The primary deliverables under this grant include research findings examining RNA editing mechanisms in T1D versus non-T1D pancreatic islets, scientific publications documenting the functional relationship between endogenous double-stranded RNA editing and T1D pathogenesis, and evidence-based insights into how poorly edited RNA serves as a potential trigger for autoimmune diabetes. The research directly addresses the NIDDK's programmatic focus on fundamental and clinical studies concerning the etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of diabetes mellitus through investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying disease initiation and progression in genetically susceptible individuals.