The newly established Concordia Coalition recently awarded its inaugural Brehm-Concordia Scholars Awards. The coalition is an alliance between three of the nation’s leading centers of diabetes care and research: the Brehm Center here at the University of Michigan, the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University, and the Barbara David Diabetes Center at the University of Colorado.
This coalition of early-career diabetes scientists will foster collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of fresh ideas, driving progress in research and ensuring the next generation of leaders in the field are well-supported and connected. This cooperative approach is anticipated to lead to the improved prevention and treatment of diabetes and diabetes-related disorders.
Learn more about this year's Brehm- Concordia Scholar Awardees:
Mohamed Noureldein, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies. His work focuses on metabolic syndrome, including diabetes and its relation to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. He is looking at oligodendrocytes, support cells for nerves in the brain. The metabolic syndrome causes these support cells to become dysfunctional, which leads to cognitive impairment and eventually Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Noureldein seeks to understand precisely how metabolic syndrome causes oligodendrocyte dysfunction, which could provide an exciting new therapy target for Alzheimer's disease, which currently doesn't have any effective treatments.
When asked about receiving the award, Dr. Noureldein shared, "I'm incredibly honored and excited to receive this award because it will give me the opportunity for mentorship and career development workshops, as well as being able to collaborate with others who are doing similar work in the diabetes space.”
Becca Davidson, PhD, MS is a postdoctoral islet biology fellow working with Dr. Scott Soleimanpour. Their current work focuses on the contribution of mitochondrial DNA deletions to diabetes-related β-cell failure. In his recommendation, Dr. Soleimanpour shared, “Becca’s efforts in my group have not only outstanding training potential, but are novel and poised to make a substantial impact on the field. Their planned research and use of advanced sequencing approaches to identify novel mtDNA deletions will also provide a springboard to open new areas of study into linked processes across other diseases with similar mechanistic defects, as T1D and MASLD/MASH share common mitochondrial damage signatures that could be bridged by a better understanding of mitochondrial genome maintenance. The complexity of the mechanisms involved in such a process mandates a resolute and systematic approach, and few individuals are as qualified as Becca to do this work because of their unique combination of interests and skills.”
Warren Yacawych, a rising fourth-year PhD student working in CDI Director, Dr. Martin Myers' lab shared, “I am excited to have an opportunity that provides the resources to collaborate with other junior scientists. The Brehm-Concordia consortium positions myself and the other scholars to be engaged with each other’s work throughout the rest of our careers.”
Warren is obtaining his PhD through the department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and his work focuses on how neurons in the brainstem regulate food consumption. Ultimately, his research seeks to identify which brainstem neurons restrain food intake in response to a meal from those that reduce food consumption in response to becoming sick.
As part of the program, the Brehm-Concordia Scholars will assemble with six other scholars from the Naomi Berrie and Barbara David Diabetes Centers at the Concordia Diabetes Research Forum in New York City this fall. During the forum, they will present their research, exchange ideas, and propose new diabetes research projects for coalition funding.
Over the next two years, the scholars will receive mentorship and development opportunities spanning the three centers, meeting periodically to carry out the funded research.
The Brehm Center is the hub for a cooperative network of academic, public health, and community partners to conduct diabetes research. Through collaboration and innovation, the center seeks to accelerate the advancement of scientific discovery in identifying a cure for diabetes and its complications.
William K and Delores “Dee” Brehm have had a long history of commitment to U-M, providing crucial vision and support for a range of projects and programs, including Brehm Tower - which currently houses many premiere diabetes basic, clinical, and translational research scientists and laboratories. Supporting team science is a core element of the Brehm Center, and this initiative helps us to continue strengthening diverse team of leaders and scientists with the skills, passion, experience and space to expand and enrich the search for the cure.