NIH NIDDK New Investigator Gateway Award Recipients (2026)

Congratulations to the 2026 Recipients of the NIH NIDDK New Investigator Gateway Awards

Congratulations to the eleven investigators joining HIRN via the NIH NIDDK Gateway Award Initiative.  This award was designed to ensure that a robust pipeline of talented new investigators will continue to embark on successful careers in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The recipients will be embedded within the HIRN scientific framework to provide unique opportunities for New and Early Stage Investigators to increase their understanding of key questions in the field, to network, and to establish unique and potentially long-lasting collaborations that will propel their careers forward. It is anticipated that the Gateway award will provide the support needed to enhance the success of future R01 submissions from New Investigators interested in pursuing careers in T1D research.

• David Alagpulinsa, PhD, Yale University School of Medicine (CBDS)
  “Genetic Dysregulation of mRNA Translation in T1D”

• Maigan Brusko, PhD, University of Florida (CBDS)
  “Assessment of Thymic Output in the Context of Genetics, Environmental Exposures, and Progression to T1D”

• Erica Cai, PhD, Indiana University School of Medicine (CBDS)
  “Unraveling Counter-Regulatory Transcriptional Control by the ZBED Family in Beta Cell Stress and Immune Tolerance”

• Kathryn Coate, PhD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (CBDS)
  “CERS2-Dependent Sphingolipid Control of Human Beta-Cell Function and Resilience”

• Liora Katz, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine (CBDS)
  “Targeting ChREBPbeta to Protect Beta-Cells from Metabolic and Inflammatory Stress in T1D”

• Angela Kruse, PhD, Ohio State University (HPAC)
  “Uncovering the Spatial Lipid-gene Relationships Underlying T1D using Multimodal Imaging”

• Qin Li, PhD, University of Pennsylvania (HPAC)
  “Investigating the Role of RNA Editing in T1D in Humans”

• Julia Panzer, PhD, City of Hope (HPAC)
  “Tissue Context Matters: How Exocrine Cells Regulate Islet Function in Human Pancreas”

• Farooq Syed, PhD, City of Hope (HPAC)
  “Three-Dimensional Spatial and Translational profiling of Stress Response Pathways in T1D”

• Ping Wang, PhD, Michigan State University (CBDS)
  “Targeted Nanotheranostics for Beta-Cell Protection in T1D”

• Jordan Wright, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (HPAC)
  “Spatial Profiling of Pancreatic N-Glycosylation in T1D”