Pancreas and immune tissue mapping for type 1 diabetes
Human Pancreas Analysis Program for Type 1 Diabetes - HPAP-T1D
This program creates detailed maps of pancreatic cells and immune cells from people with type 1 diabetes, people with diabetes-related autoantibodies, and healthy donors to learn how the disease affects the pancreas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11221190 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers collect pancreases, immune tissues, and donor medical histories from people with T1D, non-diabetic autoantibody-positive donors, and controls, then isolate islets and immune cells for shared use. Teams test islet function (perifusion, oxygen consumption, intracellular calcium) and use single-cell methods to measure gene activity and chromatin accessibility. They profile immune cells across tissues, map B and T cell clones and antibody specificities, and perform RNA-seq, single-cell ATAC-seq, DNA methylation analyses, and mass cytometry to build a comprehensive human pancreas atlas.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants include people with type 1 diabetes, individuals who are autoantibody-positive but not yet diabetic, and organ donors or donor families willing to provide pancreatic and immune tissues.
Not a fit: People looking for an immediate therapeutic intervention are unlikely to benefit directly because this program focuses on tissue mapping and basic understanding rather than testing new treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could pinpoint the specific cell types and immune targets involved in T1D and guide new diagnostics and treatments.
How similar studies have performed: This project builds on earlier HPAP efforts and other tissue-atlas projects that have produced high-quality maps and methods, though translating those maps into therapies is still ongoing.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Naji, Ali — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Naji, Ali
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.