2018

Since the American Diabetes Association started its Research Programs in 1952, it has invested $834.4 million in more than 4,800 diabetes research projects. In 2018 alone, the Association supported 297 scientists at 104 U.S. institutions working on 318 different projects, all dedicated to progressing the fight against diabetes. This includes 133 in-training or early career investigators and 53 underrepresented minority scientists, upholding the ADA’s longstanding commitment to supporting the next generation of diabetes researchers.

Core program

Our largest research category is our ‘Core Program’. The goal of this research program is to fund the best science so that we will ultimately realize our organizational mission: Life free of diabetes and all its burdens. In doing this, we also emphasize the importance of supporting junior researchers as they begin their careers in diabetes research.

We broadly fund research covering six distinct categories: type 1 diabetes; type 2 diabetes; type 1 and type 2 diabetes; prediabetes/insulin resistance; obesity; and gestational diabetes. See specific projects and advances related to each category here.

Core research
Core research represents the largest category of research funded by the ADA. Core research focuses on projects by senior diabetes investigators. This category includes Innovative Basic Science and Innovative Clinical or Translational Science awards.

Meet ADA-funded basic or clinical scientists unraveling the mysteries of diabetes, one project at a time.

Core development
Our core development program supports early career investigators as they establish independence as diabetes researchers. Applicants must be full-time faculty with no more than 10 years since receiving their terminal degree. A distinct mechanism exists in this category for minority scientists.

Meet our newest class of Junior Faculty Development awardees, who are poised to continue advances in diabetes prevention, treatment and care over their careers here.

Core training
The core training awards are available to postdoctoral researchers to provide support for high quality training in disciplines and topics relevant to diabetes, in an environment conducive to beginning a career in diabetes research. A distinct mechanism exists in this category for minority scientists.

In 2019, we awarded 38 postdoctoral fellowships.

Meet them and see their diabetes research projects here.

Pathway to Stop Diabetes®

Pathway to Stop Diabetes is a unique initiative with a simple but revolutionary goal: find a new generation of brilliant scientists at the peak of their creativity, then provide them with the freedom, autonomy, and financial and professional resources to drive breakthrough discoveries.

To date, 32 different Pathway scientists have received Pathway awards. While each has a unique project, all are dedicated to the same goal: to Stop Diabetes. We have seen incredible outcomes from our Pathway scientists, including 120+ peer-reviewed publications, ten patent applications, two start-up companies, and the attainment of eight first-time faculty appointments.

Meet some of our Pathway scientists 

Take a look at some of the outcomes in our 2018 Annual Report.

Targeted research

Collaborative targeted research covers specific topic areas where a need is identified. This includes a specific geographic or diabetes research topic of interest to both the ADA and a corporate or philanthropic sponsor.

Currently, we have two active targeted research initiatives, including:

1. American Diabetes Association New England Fellowship Awards, supported by a generous grant from Pfizer, Inc.
2. Cardiovascular Complication in Type 1 Diabetes Fellowship Awards, supported by the incredible generosity of an anonymous philanthropic supporter.