Special Diabetes Program meeting summary highlights type 1 diabetes research NIDDK could support

Research Update March 3, 2016

Image of a human pancreas and a glucose monitor

The NIDDK has released a summary (PDF, 218.8 KB) of a planning meeting on future research that could be supported by the Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes Research (or Special Diabetes Program). In April 2015, Congress extended the Program through Fiscal Year 2017 at a level of $150 million per year as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Since funding authority was scheduled to expire at the end of Fiscal Year 2015, the extension provides an opportunity to support new and emerging research in type 1 diabetes and its complications.

To solicit external input on research that could be supported with the new funds, the NIDDK convened a planning meeting in April 2015 under the auspices of the statutory Diabetes Mellitus Interagency Coordinating Committee (DMICC). At the meeting, potential new research initiatives developed by the NIDDK, other NIH Institutes, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were presented. A panel of non-federal scientific experts and a lay representative provided input on these concepts and on programs already supported by the Special Diabetes Program. This input is included in the meeting summary.

Guided by the expert panel’s feedback, diabetes research strategic plans, and other external input, the NIDDK is identifying the most compelling areas of current research opportunity to pursue with the new funds. As a result, several Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) have been released and are posted; additional FOAs are expected to be released in the coming months.

Since 1998, the Special Diabetes Program has supported a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge type 1 diabetes research, including the creation of unique research consortia, clinical trials networks, and research resources. The NIDDK administers the Program on behalf of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with multiple NIH Institutes and Centers and the CDC, and with input from the DMICC. More information on the Special Diabetes Program is available at Type 1 Diabetes Special Statutory Funding Program.