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JDRF Canadian Clinical Trial Network (CCTN) Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Translation in T1D Program

Deadlines are 5:00 PM (Eastern). No extensions will be granted.


Milestone Date Status
Letter of Intent N/A
Application May 02, 2016 Passed
Award Notification Aug 31, 2016 Passed
Earliest Start Sep 30, 2016 Passed

Background & Purpose

Collaboration with Eli Lilly Canada Inc. JDRF Canadian Clinical Trial Network (JDRF CCTN) is pleased to announce that Eli Lilly Canada Inc. has renewed their support of the CCTN Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Translation in T1D Program. In 2016, Eli Lilly Canada Inc. will provide $120,000 in support of two CCTN Post-Doctoral Fellows for one year in the sum of $60,000 each. These awards are intended to provide partial salary support for one year to enable the awardee to advance his/her career as an independent investigator. These fellowships will be taking advantage of the nationwide investment in clinical translation in type 1 diabetes research. Awards will be administered and managed by JDRF CCTN.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the bodyā€™s own immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. We do not yet know what triggers this autoimmune process, but the result is the destruction of beta cells. When 50-90% of beta cells have been lost, the ability to control blood sugar levels is lost; the resulting diagnosis of diabetes means chronic high blood sugar. The underlying autoimmune process that causes type 1 diabetes distinguishes it from the more-common type 2 diabetes. This autoimmune process also means type 1 diabetes shares common pathologic pathways with diseases such as multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroid disease, and celiac disease. All people with diabetes (whatever the initial cause, and/or type) are exposed to the risks of various complications that develop from chronic high blood sugars ā€“ including nerve damage, vision loss, kidney failure, and cardiovascular disease. As type 1 diabetes develops early in life, including under age 5, people with type 1 diabetes are at-risk for developing complications as young as their mid-20s or early 30s.

JDRF is the leading global non-profit organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with the disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of type 1 diabetes research. The goal of JDRF is to improve the lives of every person affected by type 1 diabetes by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better 2 treating, and preventing type 1 diabetes. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

Canadian researchers have made notable contributions to diabetes research, from Banting and Bestā€™s discovery and isolation of insulin, through the development of the Edmonton Protocol for the replacement of beta cells using islet transplantation. This countryā€™s historically strong focus on research in diabetes, coupled with investments made by non-profit organizations like JDRF, have resulted in a robust pipeline of potential diagnostic, preventative and therapeutic opportunities that hold significant promise to impact course of this chronic disease.

JDRF Canadian Clinical Trial Network (ā€œJDRF CCTN,ā€ http://www.jdrf.ca/cctn/) is a platform that has been established for clinical research to test new treatments and technologies for type 1 diabetes. JDRF CCTN brings together the countryā€™s top physicians, scientists, researchers and innovators from leading hospitals, academic medical centres and industry. The networkā€™s mission includes the following goals: to create an improved, nationwide infrastructure for diabetes clinical translation in Canada, to enable greater clinical trial capacity; to conduct advanced clinical trials of leading-edge treatments and technologies for diabetes; to provide Canadians with diabetes access to the latest diabetes breakthroughs via participating in clinical trials; and to create new partnerships between academic researchers, not-for-profit organizations, industry and government.

JDRF CCTN recently expanded from its vanguard of clinical sites in Ontario to include sites in Western Canada. JDRF CCTN projects are accelerating the testing of new technologies and treatments to provide Canadians with access to the latest diabetes breakthroughs. A description of current CCTN trials and projects is available at http://www.jdrf.ca/cctn.

Descriptions of JDRFā€™s Research Priority Areas are available at https://grantcenter.jdrf.org/grant-center/researchpriority-areas/.