The Breakthrough T1D University of Michigan-Oregon Health & Science University Center of Excellence

About the Center

Collaborating toward precision medicine for type 1 diabetes cardiorenal complications 

Current type 1 diabetes (T1D) treatment strategies mostly focus on blood sugar control to prevent complications, like eye, kidney, heart, and nerve diseases. The University of Michigan (U-M) team, however, has shown that other aspects of metabolism may play a role. In partnership with scientists and clinicians at the Elizabeth Weiser Caswell Diabetes Institute at U-M, this Breakthrough T1D Center of Excellence has made significant advancements in our understanding of what drives heart and kidney complications in T1D.  

To continue the momentum, the existing U-M Center of Excellence has expanded to include Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and create a joint Center of Excellence that will build on the work completed at U-M. This partnership includes experts at The Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at OHSU, the only diabetes center in the Pacific Northwest that provides specialized and outstanding clinical care for children and adults living with T1D at a single location.  

This scientific partnership is grounded in a shared commitment to address the leading cause of morbidity in T1D: heart and kidney complications. While these complications are common, their progression is unique to each person based on their genetic, environmental, social, and behavioral background. The joint U-M-OHSU Cardiorenal Center of Excellence brings together complementary strengths from both institutes to lead a transformative initiative in personalized treatment for T1D. 

The joint Center of Excellence will establish an innovative and efficient clinical trial platform that will be used to test heart and kidney therapies in people living with T1D. It will also advance work started by the U-M Center of Excellence in personalized medicine. This partnership will promote collaboration, advance scientific discoveries, and drive clinical research to ultimately reverse cardiorenal disease in people with T1D. 

Joint projects: A new era of personalized treatment 

T1D precision medicine platform 

The joint Center of Excellence is launching a first-of-its-kind biomarker-based clinical trial platform to match people with T1D with the most appropriate cardiorenal therapies based on their unique molecular and clinical profiles. This approach will match individuals with T1D to therapies tailored to their unique patterns of heart and kidney complications. 

We’ll build on the successful precision medicine approach for kidney filtration failure (see NEPTUNE Match) and apply it to T1D, aiming to deliver the right treatment to the right person at the right time. 

Rapid, adaptable therapeutic trials 

Treatments will be aligned to a person’s specific needs, and we’ll track how well each therapy works using biomarkers measured at six weeks and six months. The same biomarkers will also help predict long-term outcomes—giving us valuable insights into future heart and kidney health.  

Lead Faculty