Breakthrough T1D – Common mechanisms in Autoimmunity Insight Awards

Breakthrough T1D, Lupus Research Alliance and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society are jointly seeking applications from investigators across autoimmune and other relevant fields to advance the understanding of autoimmunity and to obtain insights into commonalities and differences of the immune pathways that govern autoimmune processes. The purpose of this award is to establish proof-of-concept research toward the collaborative advancement of innovative ideas and therapeutic approaches that address needs and knowledge gaps across multiple autoimmune diseases.

Objectives:

Proposals are sought for novel one-year pilot studies to investigate a mechanism underlying autoimmune disease, identify novel targets or mechanisms of autoimmune pathogenesis, validate therapeutic targets or provide proof of concept for an innovative therapeutic strategy.

Proposals can include any project that focuses on:

• Establishing proof of concept for a hypothesized mechanism driving pathogenesis across multiple autoimmune diseases
• Establishing proof of concept for a particular immune pathway common to multiple autoimmune diseases as a potential therapeutic target

However, priority consideration will be given to research proposals that:

• Identify and/or validate human biomarkers for prodromic or subclinical autoimmune disease, with a focus on immune-related markers that are measurable before clinical diagnosis which can be used to assess disease inset and risk or rate of progression
• Develop and/or validate therapeutic strategies focused on the underlying mechanisms of autoimmune initiation and early-stage autoimmune disease common to T1D, MS, and SLE
• Interrogate heterogeneity of autoimmune processes as a basis for disease heterogeneity observed in multiple autoimmune diseases
• Utilize primary human samples or reuse data from previously analyzed human samples
• Provide proof of concept for the repurposing of an approved drug or therapy from one autoimmune disease into related autoimmune diseases or a mechanistic understanding of shared and different therapeutic responses among autoimmune diseases

Eligibility:

Applications must be submitted by domestic and foreign non-profit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local government and eligible agencies of the federal government.

Applicants must hold an M.D., D.M.D, D.V.M., Ph.D., or equivalent and have a faculty position or equivalent at a college, university, medical school, or other research facility. Please note that applications from for-profit entities or industry collaborations with academia may be submitted to this RFA; however, additional information will be requested from for-profit entities if a full application is invited.

To assure continued excellence and diversity among applicants and awardees, Breakthrough T1D, Lupus Research Alliance, and the National MS Society welcome proposals from all qualified individuals and encourage proposals from a broad cross section of researchers and scientists

Applications may request up to a total of USD 150.000 for 1 year

Full proposal deadline: January 8th 2026