JDRF Canada and Canada’s Stem Cell Network partner to launch National Fellowship Program in Type 1 Diabetes

November 15, 2021 (Ottawa/Toronto) JDRF Canada and Canada’s Stem Cell Network are pleased to announce the JDRF-SCN National Fellowship Program in Type 1 Diabetes, a new opportunity for high-calibre postdocs from across Canada with expertise in stem cells, regenerative medicine, immunology or related fields to join the JDRF Centre of Excellence at the University of British Columbia (UBC) to pursue research focused on treating and curing type 1 diabetes (T1D).

T1D is an autoimmune disease that affects the daily lives of approximately 300,000 Canadians. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. While 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin and the 60th anniversary of the discovery of stem cells, and despite much progress made to tackle this disease, T1D remains a tremendous economic and health burden for thousands of Canadians and their families.

The new JDRF-SCN National Fellowship Program in Type 1 Diabetes aims to attract promising postdoctoral researchers to help accelerate Canadian research, develop talent and enhance Canada’s global leadership in T1D research.

“SCN has been a driver in the quest to find a cure for type 1 diabetes for the last 20 years,” said Cate Murray, SCN’s Executive Director and COO. “Our collaborative cross-Canada network has been leading the charge to develop life-changing therapies for this highly debilitating disease. SCN is excited to work with JDRF, a valued partner in this initiative.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with SCN to support postdoctoral fellowships through the JDRF Centre of Excellence at UBC launching this winter,” says Dave Prowten, President and CEO of JDRF Canada. “The Centre is an initiative focused on cure research with a unique and multidisciplinary training program that will give rise to future leaders in Canadian type 1 diabetes research.”

Launching in January 2022, the Fellowship Program will award one yearlong fellowship per year through 2026, with a value of $60,000 CAD per year.

Anticipated timeline:

Launch of request for applications: January 15, 2022
Application deadline: April 15, 2022 at 17:00 ET
Funding decision: July 4, 2022
Latest fellowship start date in Vancouver: Sept 15, 2022

About the Stem Cell Network: The Stem Cell Network (SCN) is a national not-for-profit organization that supports three main objectives: stem cell and regenerative medicine research; training the next generation of highly qualified personnel; and supporting the knowledge mobilization and transfer of stem cell and regenerative medicine research. From the lab to the clinic, our goal is to power science that will benefit Canadians. SCN was created in 2001. With support from the Government of Canada, the Network has grown from a few dozen labs to more than 196 world-class research groups, supporting 200+ research projects and 24 clinical trials. Since its inception, 21 biotech companies have been catalyzed and more than 4,000 highly qualified personnel have been trained. In 2021, the Government of Canada demonstrated its continuing trust and support in SCN with an investment of $45 million for the 2022–25 period.

About JDRF: JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our goal is to raise funds to support the most advanced international T1D research and progressively remove the impact of this disease from people’s lives – until we achieve a world without it. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. For more information, please visit j drf.c a.

For more details on the Fellowship Program, please contact: research@jdrf.ca; jdraper@stemcellnetwork.ca