Grants 2026
This year we received 116 grant applications, which is more than ever before and 40 applications more than in 2025. The total amount of grant funding also reached a record high of 4 205 369 Euros.
More than a third of the applications (35,3 %) were received from researchers at the University of Helsinki. The second highest number of applications came from the Universities of Turku and Tampere. A majority of the applications were focused on type 2 and type 1 diabetes research.
This year we have the opportunity to award grants to 29 researchers. Our large two-year grant of 120 000 Euros was awarded to Miira Klemetti-Pettersson from the University of Helsinki and HUS. The DIAMO –study headed by Klemetti-Pettersson studies the effects of diabetes type 1 and 2 and molecular mechanisms in mother, placenta and fetus. The research develops new procedures based on extracellular vesicles to detect pregnancy and fetal complications.
Our 50th anniversary grant of 100 000 Euros for the founder of a research team was awarded to Birgitta Van der Kolk from the University of Helsinki. She studies obesity and aging by clarifying the effects of molecular level metabolic pathways on metabolic health in identical twins.
The two-year grant of 120 000 Euros
Klemetti-Pettersson Miira, D.Med.Sc., MPH, docent, the University of Helsinki and HUS
Molecular Crosstalk within the Mother-Placenta-Fetus Triad in Pregnancies Complicated by Diabetes (DIAMO) – Novel insights into adverse outcomes in the mother and offspring via exploration of extracellular vesicles of maternal, placental, and fetal origin.
The grant awarded to Klemetti-Pettersson and her research team also contains the following personal working grant: Klemetti-Pettersson Miira, 6 months, 9 000 Euros.
The Diabetes Research Foundations 50th anniversary grant for the founder of a research team, 100 000 Euros
Van der Kolk Birgitta, Senior Research Fellow, the University of Helsinki
Untangling obesity and aging: molecular pathways affecting metabolic health in monozygotic twin pairs.
The grant awarded to Van der Kolk and her team also contains the following personal working grant: Doctoral Researcher, 14 months, 33 600 Euros.
The one-year grants of 27 000 Euros
Ibrahim Hazem, Ph.D., the University of Helsinki
Efficient gene editing in stem cell-derived islets using enveloped delivery vehicles: a platform to advance diabetes research and cell therapy.
Islam Md Khirul, Ph.D., the University of Turku
Urinary extracellular vesicles and glycans as new biomarkers for early diabetic kidney disease detection (uEV-GlycoDKD assay).
The grant awarded Islam and his team also contains the following working grant: Islam Md Khirul, 9 months, 25 200 Euros.
Keikkala Elina, Lic.Med., docent, the University of Oulu
Gestational diabetes – a window to family’s metabolic, cardiovascular and mental health.
The grant awarded to Keikkala and her team also contains the following personal grant: N.N., 6 months, 13 200 Euros.
Kekäläinen Elisa, D.Med.Sc., Ph.D., the University of Helsinki
Mechanisms of pancreatic islet protection from autoimmunity in a rare immunodeficiency.
Kinnunen Tuure, D.Med.Sc., professor, the University of Eastern Finland
Longitudinal immune analyses to predict the development of type 1 diabetes.
Lihua Sun, Ph.D., the University of Turku
Systemic effects of growth hormone on insulin sensitivity assessed with total-body PET.
Lingaiah Shilpa, D.Med.Sc., Ph.D., the University of Oulu and OYS
Role of gut microbiota-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles in metabolic risk trajectories after gestational diabetes.
The grant awarded to Lingaiah and her team also includes the following personal grant: Lingaiah Shilpa, 3 months, 7 800 Euros.
Merz Sarah, Ph.D., the University of Helsinki
Identifying actionable transcriptional enhancers controlling human beta cell maturation to improve stem cell therapies for diabetes.
Saarimäki-Vire Johanna, Ph.D., the University of Helsinki
Benchmarking stem cell-derived islet potency for diabetes cell therapy.
Schmotz Constanze, Ph.D., the University of Helsinki
Age-dependent effects of heterozygous SHIP2 inactivation on metabolic syndrome-like phenotypes in male and female mice.
The grant awarded to Schmotz and her team also contains the following personal grant: Schmotz Constanze, 9 months, 25 200 Euros.
Toivola Diana, Ph.D., docent, Åbo Akademi University
Cytoskeletal keratin 18 and its type-1-diabetes associated gene variants in beta-cell function.
The grant awarded to Toivola and her team also contains the following personal working grants: Haldin Caroline, 5 months, 12 000 Euros, N.N., 3 months, 5 400 Euros
Vandenbempt Valerie, Ph.D., the University of Helsinki
Defining the role of alpha cells in stem cell-derived islet function for diabetes cell therapy.
Personal working grants
Bhowmik Ratul, MSc, Åbo Akademi University, 3 months, 6 600 Euros
Multi-omics and artificial intelligence-guided precision medicine approaches to improve tuberculosis treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Carcaño De Los Santos Norman, D.Med.Sc., MSc, the University of Helsinki, 6 months, 14 400 Euros
Insulin resistance and SGLT2 inhibition in diabetic kidney disease: defining the role of SHIP2.
Haltia Hanna, Lic.Med., the University of Helsinki and HUS, 4 months, 9 600 Euros
Linking GLP-1 signaling to adipose tissue function and metabolic health in obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Hamal Mishra Binisha, Ph.D., the University of Tampere, 6 months, 16 800 Euros
Uncovering clinically actionable metabolic pathways mediating genetic risk for type 2 diabetes using multigenerational and multi-cohort data.
Hirvelä Leon, D.Med.Sc., the University of Helsinki, 3 months, 7 800 Euros
Mental health among people with type 1 diabetes.
Iskala Senja, MSc, the University of Helsinki, 5 months, 12 000 Euros
Proteomic predictors of cardiovascular outcomes in type 1 diabetes.
Lampela Ella, MSc, the University of Tampere, 3 moths, 6 600 Euros
Human vascularized 3D skeletal muscle in vitro model for studying metabolic diseases.
Muralidharan Sachin, MSc, the University of Helsinki, 2 months, 4 400 Euros
Generation of immortalized islet cell lines for diabetes research and therapeutic discovery.
Petar Kosijer, MSc, the University of Turku, 6 months, 14 400 Euros
Elucidating the role of NAD+ metabolism in brown adipose tissue and cold exposure in adult humans.
Ranade Amogh Vinay, MSc, the University of Turku, 6 months, 14 400 Euros
Early changes in T cells in children progressing to type 1 diabetes to elucidate disease heterogeneity.
Saarimaa Sini, MSc, the University of Tampere, 6 months, 14 400 Euros
Cellular crosstalk in innervated human adipose tissue in vitro models.
Salo Tuuli, MSc, the University of Tampere and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 6 months, 14 400 Euros
Dietary fiber in early nutrition – implications for gut health and risk of type 1 diabetes.
Vaziri Negin, MSc, the University of Turku, 3 months, 6 600 Euros
Restoring cellular function in a biomimetic diabetic wound environment using bioactive functionalized hydrogels.
Vienonen Milla, Msc, Folkhälsan Research Center, 3 months, 5 400 Euros
Association of glycation, inflammatory, and oxidative stress markers with cardiovascular risk in type 1 diabetes.
Zaidi Syeda Erum, MSc, the University of Turku, 3 months, 6 600 Euros
Impact of cold exposure on renal substrate metabolism in relation to adiposity