The Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP) announces a new funding initiative, the 2023 IIDP Technology Resource Award (TRA), that is intended to advance human islet research by providing support for high-impact studies that will enhance services provided by IIDP to the research community. 

Studies supported by these awards should focus on exceptional ideas and projects that will enhance the ability of IIDP to provide new resources and services to the IIDP community of scientists. Emphasis of proposals should be on the exploration of novel assays or unique technologies that could contribute to and augment IIDP programmatic objectives to support studies of the human pancreas in states of disease and health.

Current areas of emphasis include, but are not limited to:

• Resources for exploring the human islet niche: Development and validation of standardized protocols and assays to measure quality, viability, and function of islet-associated biomaterials and tissues that may be provided by the IIDP to interested researchers.  Examples of potential projects could include (but are not limited to) methods to study unique aspects of human islet with a focus on islet interactions with vasculature, neural tissues and the extracellular matrix or projects focused on endocrine exocrine interactions or pancreas immune interactions. 

• Beyond islets: Collaborative studies with IIDP Islet Isolation Centers (IICs) to explore and validate procedures for handling and defining quality control metrics for non-islet pancreatic and pancreas-associated biomaterials to be provided through the network, including acinar and ductal tissues, pancreatic lymph nodes and duodenum.

Award Budget:  Awards are limited to $150,000 to support personnel, supplies including tissue procurement costs and applicable 

                                F&A costs. Costs associated with equipment acquisition, if any, must be limited to a maximum of $5,000.

Project Period:      The maximum project period is 12 months.

Download the IIDP Technology Resource Award RFP for more information. 

Click here to start an application.               

Key Dates
Posted Date:	May 16, 2023
Letter of Intent Due Date:	June 15, 2023 (courtesy only)
Application Due Date:	July 31, 2023
Scientific Review:	6 - 8 weeks post receipt
Announcement of Awardees	September 2023
Start Date:	November 1, 2023
End Date:	October 31, 2024