dkNET community events and announcements in September, 2025

Dear dkNET Community,

dkNET provides updates on activities of interest to the NIDDK-supported community. You could keep up to date on these activities through our Twitter feed @dkNET_info, through our Community Calendar, or through dkNET e-mail list. If you have an event or funding opportunities you'd like to advertise, please contact us info_at_dknet.org.

dkNET News

• The 2025 D-Challenge: The 2025 D-Challengeinvites cross-disciplinary teams worldwide to use rich, curated datasets and online bioinformatics tools to develop innovative hypotheses addressing the biology, treatment, or complications of Type 1 Diabetes. Hosted by the(sugars)science in partnership with dkNET, the challenge offers $10,000 in prizes, opportunities to present to leading scientists and industry experts, and global recognition for groundbreaking ideas. Registration deadline: September 12, 2025. More information: https://thesugarscience.org/dchallenge2025

Events in September 2025

Sep. 10, 2025

Diabetes Research Center DRC Virtual Seminar Series

This seminar series is organized by several NIDDK-funded Diabetes Re search Centers. Each seminar in the series features an outstanding scientist or panel of scientists discussing the latest in diabetes, obesity, or metabolic research.
Speaker: Samuel Klein, MD, William H. Danforth Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Science, Chief, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science, Washington University Diabetes Center.

More information: https://diab etes-virtual-seminar.org/

Sep. 15-18, 2025

Keystone Symposia: AI in Molecular Biology

Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology development have shown immense potential to accelerate biological discovery by understanding complex data sets and in generating research hypotheses. However, there are still significant and unique challenges to applying AI/ML approaches to life and biomedical science research.  This meeting will explore these challenges and identify best practices for deploying AI to drive biological discovery and ensure widespread benefit for applications in medicine.

Location:  Santa Fe, NM, USA

More information: https:/ /www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/G22026

Funding Opportunities Information and Deadlines in September 2025

Sep. 08, 2025

George M. O’Brien Kidney Resource Alliance (OKRA) Funding Opportunity Letter of Intent Due: OKRA Opportunity Pool Program

The George M. O’Brien Kidney Resource Alliance (OKRA) offers the OKRA Opportunity Pool Program on a yearly basis to early-stage investigators and investigators new to kidney research. This program supports pilot g rants (up to a maximum of $50,000 total costs) that address scientific and technological gaps in kidney research and promotes new collaborations. To be eligible for this pilot program, projects must utilize existing O’Brien Kidney National Resource Center resources. Application Deadline: October 6, 2025.

More information: https://www.uab.edu/okra/funding/okra-opportunity-pool-program

Sep. 12, 2025

D-Challenge Registration Deadline

The D-Challenge is a focused scientific movement that begins with the end in mind. We are leveraging our connections with Type 1 Diabetes researchers and inviting ALL of them to compete to catalyze innovation and accelerate research towards a practical cure for Type 1 Diabetes. In doing so, we aim to add a solid appreciation of the biology that drives this relentless disease to the current literature and knowledge base. 

Type 1 Diabetes is a multifactorial disease that is studied by many scientific disciplines. the(sugars)science, is partnering with dkNET (the NIDDK Information Network) to bring the full power of on-line digital resources to the challenge of Type 1 Diabetes.

In addition to claiming a share of $10,000 in cash prizes, winners will have an opportunity to present their hypothesis and interact with an audience including:

• Academic and institutional luminaries in the fields of Bioinformatics and Type 1 Diabetes research
• Industry leaders in biotechnology
• Professionals and advisors involved in venture funding

More information: https://thesugarscience.org/dchallenge2025/

Sep. 17, 2025

ISAC Funding Opportunity Application Due: The Innovative Science Accelerator (ISAC) Program Award

The Innovative Science Accelerator (ISAC) Program supports truly innovative, disruptive, risky research to accelerate breakthrough discoveries. The ISAC Awards seed funding for exceptionally innovative, disruptive (high-risk/high-reward) research relevant to KUH communities that has the potential to lead to groundbreaking or paradigm-shifting results that will change the field. ISAC awards are NOT Pilot & Feasibility projects for the gene ration of more preliminary data for traditional NIH applications (e.g., R0 1). Non-responsive applications will not be reviewed or funded.
All awardees will have at least one virtual "check-in" with members of the ISAC coordinating team to assess productivity and discuss novel ways to effectively communicate your breakthrough discovery and share validated data and resources.

Three-page applications may request up to $100,000 (direct + indirect costs) Total Costs for one year.

More information: https://isac-kuh.org/shared/fundingPrograms.aspx

Sep. 25, 2025

NIH Funding Opportunities Application Due: Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is designed to support established biomedical data repositories and knowledgebases as distinct and separate resources that have demonstrated impact and have potential for continued benefit to the community served. Application Due Date: September 25, 2025.

More information: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-23-237.html