JDRF's Research Strategy

JDRF is the only organization with the vision, capabilities, and resources to create and deliver a cure and life-improving treatments to people with type 1 diabetes. We alone put the interests of people with type 1 at the center of everything we do.

JDRF is the world’s leading type 1 diabetes organization. We are fully devoted to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications—and in the meantime, to developing new treatments that make life better for the millions of children and adults worldwide with the disease.

We don’t just fund basic research per se; we support and exploit scientific discoveries and translate them into solutions, such as therapies and devices that can tangibly benefit people with diabetes today. Currently, JDRF is funding more than 40 human clinical trials, several of which are in the advanced stages of clinical testing needed before FDA approvals are required. JDRF uses its resources and leverage to find and fill gaps in the research pipeline to ensure that potential treatments—and, eventually, a cure—go from the laboratory to the patient as quickly as possible.

Over our 40-year history, JDRF has funded more type 1 research than any other charitable organization—$1.5 billion and counting. That investment has brought tremendous progress in treating and understanding the disease. But we won’t rest until we are known as the organization that cured type 1 diabetes.

What Steps are Involved in Selecting JDRF Grant Recipients?

The semi-annual reviews serve as an illustrative example of a typical review process:

Submission: Scientists submit grant applications directly to JDRF.
Pre-review: Semi-annually, grant applications are reviewed and reported on by three members of the MSRC. At this point, the two co-chairs of each study section also review grants applicable to their study sections. Then, at least four lay reviewers and two different MSRC members discuss the initial report. Projects that are deemed meritorious, innovative and relevant are moved forward to full review.
Full Review: Three members of the MSRC and at least one LRC member conduct a thorough critique of each recommended project. These critiques are the focus of MSRC and LRC discussions during JDRF's regular research reviews. During these sessions, lay reviewers are able to thoroughly question MSRC members about specific projects.
Recommendation: After hearing the MSRC evaluations, the LRC meets separately to determine which grants are both scientifically meritorious and closely aligned with JDRF's mission. The LRC recommends these grants for funding by the JDRF International Board.

JDRF sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

JDRF's Research Strategy

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Research Overview

Industry Discovery & Development Partnerships

Volunteer Lay Review Process

JDRF International Leadership

clinical trials

To help you better understand what is involved in participating in a clinical trial, and to simplify the process of finding trials that are of interest to you (or your child), JDRF has created an online customized clinical trials listing service - the JDRF Clinical Trials Connection.

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JDRF E-publications

JDRF offers a variety of local and national e-publications to help you stay connected to the information you care about.

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for scientists

As the leading charitable funder of diabetes research worldwide, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International offers a wide variety of grants and fellowships to qualified diabetes researchers.

Visit the JDRF International website to learn more.