Diabetics will devote part of today and every other day of their lives monitoring their disease and administering treatments. Highlighting its interest in spurring development in a new generation of glucose-sensitive insulins, which can sense glucose levels in the system and automatically release insulin as needed, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is offering up a $100,000 reward to research teams that can offer some breakthrough ideas.
The JDRF--an active research partner--has posted the $100,000 channel on InnoCentive, an innovative online program that presents researchers with the chance of solving various scientific conundrums with a chance of earning a financial reward for their labors. Back in February a team won $1 million after delivering a new biomarker for ALS. And any research team which can offer important solutions on improving blood sugar management, lowering the need for frequent blood sugar testing and reducing the threat of complications from the disease stand to win. But you don't have to offer a blockbuster Phase III program to get into the game.
As explained on the InnoCentive site, the JDRF will reward up to four research teams for ideas that can be submitted to preclinical proof-of-concept studies. Winners also stand a chance of joining a bigger team effort that could include commercial partners.
"Although research has propelled the development of better and faster-acting insulins, the disease is still hard to control because of the way insulin is administered to patients," says Aaron Kowalski, assistant vice president of treatment therapies at the JDRF. "What we need is sophisticated insulin that will take the guesswork out of managing diabetes by developing a novel insulin that works in the same way insulin works in people without diabetes." Kowalski continues, "By fostering novel approaches from diverse problem Solvers within and outside the diabetes field, we hope this Challenge with InnoCentive will help speed progress toward the development of glucose-responsive insulin- progress urgently needed by people with diabetes."
- check out the JDRF release
- here's the challenge on InnoCentive
- read the story from Medical News