March 2024 NEWSLETTER

STEP-BY-STEP GENERATION AND TESTING OF HUMAN CAR TREGS

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease caused by the specific destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells by the recipient's immune system, chiefly T lymphocytes, which can be broadly divided into CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ T killer T cells. Interestingly, there is a subset of CD4+ T cells characterized by expression of the transcription factor FOXP3, regulatory T cells, whose function is to inhibit immune responses, thus holding promise as cellular therapeutics to treat T1D. A strategy to confer new antigen specific to T cells that is rapidly gaining traction across multiple fields is the introduction of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), a designer molecule comprising an extracellular recognition domain and an intracellular signaling domain that drives full T cell activation directly downstream of target binding. Redirecting human conventional and regulatory T cell specificity using a CAR can lead to the creation of new preclinical models and ultimately powerful immune cell-based therapies for T1D. In this manuscript, HIRN researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina detail procedures to generate and evaluate human CAR CD4+ helper T cells, CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, and CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells. 

Manuscript information: Redirecting Human Conventional and Regulatory T Cells Using Chimeric Antigen Receptors. Capers M Zimmerman, Rob A Robino, Russell W Cochrane, Matthew D Dominguez, Leonardo M R Ferreira. Methods Mol Biol 2024:2748:201-241 PMID: 38070117

TIPS FOR THE NIH DATA SHARING MANDATE

Reoccurring Series

Tip #8: Genomic Data Sharing Policy

The NIH expects responsible sharing of human and non-human genomic data resulting from NIH-funded research. The timely sharing of research results can accelerate discoveries that improve the ability to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease. To comply with the NIH genomic data sharing policy, researchers need to: develop and provide a plan for sharing genomic data; provide an institutional certification form when submitting just-in-time materials; submit genomic data in a timely manner to an appropriate repository; responsibly use controlled-access data; and appropriately cite controlled-access data in publications and presentations. It is also important to note that individual NIH institutions may have additional requirements.  

Click HERE to access the detailed information regarding the NIH genomic data sharing policy.  

NIH COMMON FUND STRATEGIC PLANNING

We are happy to announce that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Council of Councils approved the Complement Animal Research in Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) Concept to become a Common Fund Program on January 25, 2024.



The NIH Common Fund’s Complement-ARIE program will speed the development, standardization, validation, and use of human-based New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to significantly advance the understanding of human health and disease.

Complement-ARIE will bring together multiple areas of expertise through a consortium of researchers participating in the following efforts:

• Technology development projects/centers that will develop NAMs to fill in areas of greatest need. Projects will emphasize biological complexity, high throughput techniques, combining approaches, and data sharing.
• A data & NAM resource coordinating center that will create integrated data structures and a searchable NAMs repository.
• A validation network that will accelerate deployment and regulatory approval of NAMs for biomedical research.
• Community engagement and training that will promote the development of an inclusive, diverse, biomedical research workforce with the skills to build and use new NAMs.
• Strategic engagement with key partners that will advance emerging opportunities in development and use of NAMs in basic, translational, and clinical research.



To learn more about the Complement-ARIE program, click HERE.

UPCOMING dkNET WEBINAR

The next dkNET Webinar "Using Texera to Support Collaborative Data Analysis for Diabetes Researchers"

will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, 11 am - 12 pm PT.

Presenter: Chen Li, PhD, University of California, Irvine



To register click HERE.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The European Islet Study Group (EISG) meeting has been organized almost every year since 1991. After the 2023 meeting in Vancouver, the EISG will return to Europe when the meeting will be held in Helsinki, Finland, June 18-20, 2024. The meeting program will highlight important scientific developments of all aspects of pancreatic islet biology. For more information click HERE.

The Midwest Islet Club Meeting will be held at the University of Chicago from July 10 - 11, 2024.

NIH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

NOT-DK-24-001: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Cardiovascular Repository – Type 1 Diabetes (CARE-T1D) Consortium (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Application due date: April 11, 2024

PAR-23-237: Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Application due date: Standard Dates

Below is a summary of the most recent job postings by category (Faculty, Research Staff/Admin, Postdoc). Visit the HIRN Website for a full listing of job opportunities.

RESEARCH STAFF/ADMIN

Senior Research Investigator

Senior Investigator will lead ongoing research projects and the staff of NIH-sponsored beta-cell biology projects. Ensure the successful execution of ongoing studies, analyze the scientific results to prepare presentations and write manuscripts based on those results. Supervise existing laboratory staff, including facilitation, documentation, analysis and communication needed for ongoing laboratory work on behalf of the Principal Investigator.  For more information, please click HERE.

Postdoctoral Position

The Greiner and Brehm Labs at the UMass Chan Medical School’s Diabetes Center of Excellence in Worcester, MA is recruiting a fully funded postdoctoral position. Their laboratories specialize in humanized mouse models to study type 1 diabetes. Interests include effector functions of human autoreactive T cells, interactions between T cells and beta cells, and identifying immune therapeutics that suppress beta cell destruction. Approaches used included immunological, cellular, molecular, and genomic. For more information, contact Dr. Brehm.

Postdoctoral Position

The Université Libre de Bruxelles center for Diabetes is searching for a motivated PhD student to join a fully funded 4-year project. The loss of functional beta cell mass is the basic mechanism leading to diabetes mellitus. The ULB Center for Diabetes Research has discovered surface biomarkers specific for human beta cells and will use them to target novel therapies to protect and/or restore beta cells in diabetes. Targeting will be achieved by using novel viral vectors coupled to nanobodies directed to these surface biomarkers. These novel vectors will be validated in in vitro and in vivo (humanized mice) models. Interested applicants for the position should send a CV, a brief statement of their research interests, and contact information with three references to Dr. Decio Eizirik. 

Postdoctoral Position

Multiple Academia Postdoctoral positions for dry (computational), wet (experimental), or hybrid biologists are available in the lab of Dr. Golnaz Vahedi at the University of Pennsylvania. The Vahedi lab is multidisciplinary, integrating cutting-edge experimental and computational approaches to develop a mechanistic understanding of cell fate determination in the immune system. Interested applicants should submit a CV to Dr. Golnaz Vahedi.

Postdoctoral Position

The Imperial College London, under the direction of Dr. Dominguez-Villar, is recruiting a passionate and self-motivated postdoctoral research associate with expertise in the identification and characterization of antigen-specific T cells in humans.  The research programme led by Dr. Dominguez-Villar focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that maintain peripheral tolerance, with a particular focus on human regulatory T cell identity and plasticity and the regulation of CD4⁺ T cell responses in autoimmune and infectious disease settings. Interested Applicants for the position should send a CV, a brief statement of their research interests, and contact information with three references to Dr. Margarita Dominguez-Villar.

Postdoctoral Position

The Stitzel Lab at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, CT is recruiting a Postdoctoral Associate to join their scientific team working to understand the precise genetic mechanisms controlling pancreatic islet identity and function and identify genes and response pathways that can be therapeutically targeted to prevent islet dysfunction and enhance islet resilience. Interested applicants for the position should send a CV, a brief statement of their research interests, and contact information with three references to Miriam Ortiz. 

Postdoctoral Position

The Arvan laboratory (University of Michigan) has availability for one postdoctoral trainee in the area of pancreatic beta cell biology of the secretory pathway. The primary focus of work in the Arvan lab centers around the genes and environmental factors controlling the biogenesis and storage of insulin secretory granules, and defects in such genes/factors that contribute to the development of beta cell failure in diabetes. It is expected that the successful postdoctoral candidate for this position would have recent PhD training in cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, or related field. For more information, contact Dr. Peter Arvan, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Michigan, Dr. Arvan.

Postdoctoral Position

The University of California, Los Angeles is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral associate interested in the interface of diabetes research and molecular imaging. This highly translatable research seeks to leverage the non-destructive, whole-body, and quantitative power of molecular imaging to directly visualize host immune-mediated rejection of allogenic β-islet grafts. The candidate is expected to lead this research initiative and deliver on research milestones described in the collaborative research initiative funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF). Candidates with experience in diabetes research interested in engaging in innovative molecular imaging or molecular imaging scientists excited to engage in research on the intersection of immunology and diabetes are strongly encouraged to apply. Interested candidates should provide a CV, cover letter, three references, and a summary of research experience to Dr. Ikotun.