Finding infection-related antibodies linked to type 1 diabetes in children
Whole Protein Arrays to Detect Antimicrobial Antibodies Associated with Triggering and Progression of Islet Autoimmunity in TEDDY
This project uses broad protein testing of blood samples from children in the TEDDY study to find antibodies to bacteria and viruses that may start or speed up type 1 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11398725 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze stored blood samples from children enrolled in the TEDDY birth cohort using high-throughput protein arrays that detect antibodies against hundreds of whole microbial proteins. They will run three complementary array platforms to capture different antibody targets and increase chances of detecting past infections. The team will compare antibody patterns in children who develop islet autoantibodies or type 1 diabetes with those who do not, and combine the results with genetic and microbiome data. The goal is to map microbial exposures tied to increased or decreased risk of early immune attack on insulin-producing cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children enrolled in the TEDDY cohort (birth up through childhood) or those with early islet autoantibodies or a strong family history of type 1 diabetes whose samples are available for testing.
Not a fit: People with long-standing type 1 diabetes or those not enrolled in TEDDY are unlikely to get direct clinical benefit from this project because it analyzes samples and aims to improve future risk understanding rather than offer treatment now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal infections that raise or lower risk for islet autoimmunity and help guide future tests or prevention strategies for type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Broad antibody-screening approaches are relatively new and promising, but linking specific past infections to onset or progression of type 1 diabetes remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Scottsdale, United States
- Arizona State University-Tempe Campus — Scottsdale, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Labaer, Joshua — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Labaer, Joshua
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.