Funding committed to date: £50 million
More than 400,000 people in the UK live with type 1 diabetes and this number is rising year on year. Type 1 diabetes is a serious, life-threatening condition that happens when the immune system mistakenly destroys beta cells in the pancreas, meaning that the body can no longer make a hormone called insulin and blood glucose levels become too high.
Insulin therapy continues to be the only option for people with type 1 diabetes since its discovery over 100 years ago.
Forming a powerful partnership
Recognising the urgent need to improve the lives of people living with this relentless condition, the Steve Morgan Foundation brought together the two major UK diabetes charities to super-charge research that’s focused on developing new treatments and cures for type 1 diabetes.
Working in partnership with Breakthrough T1D UK and Diabetes UK, in 2022 the Foundation invested an unprecedented £50 million into the ‘Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge’, a five-year programme to accelerate medical research into type 1 diabetes.
Finding cures for type 1 diabetes
This £50 million donation by the Foundation represents the UK’s biggest-ever philanthropic gift to diabetes research and goes directly to where it is needed most – finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Steve and Sally Morgan have a very personal connection that has inspired this investment – Sally’s son Hugo was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of seven, and they know just how difficult it is managing and living with this serious condition.
Investing in innovative research
With the Foundation’s financial support, and the expertise of Breakthrough T1D UK and Diabetes UK, the Grand Challenge is funding the most promising projects led by exceptional scientists to fast-track discoveries that will lead to life-changing new treatments and ultimately a cure.
The Grand Challenge is calling on scientists to come up with research ideas that are bigger, bolder, and more collaborative than ever seen before.
In collaboration with world-class scientists and people with diabetes, we have identified three areas as carrying the most potential to improve the lives of people with type 1 diabetes and drive towards finding a cure:
- Treatments to give people with type 1 healthy, new insulin-making beta cells
- Treatments to stop the immune system destroying insulin-making beta cells
- Next-generation insulins, such as those that respond to changing blood sugar levels
How is the initiative going?
Research projects funded by the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge are up and running across the UK and beyond, each accelerating us closer to new treatments and cures for type 1 diabetes.
By harnessing the power of collaboration, targeting research areas with the greatest potential and stimulating bold, innovative research at scale, the Grand Challenge is creating change that will improve the lives of millions of people with type 1 diabetes.
“This landmark philanthropic gift – the largest ever for type 1 diabetes – and the ground-breaking partnership it formed will supercharge research like never before. As a global charity, collaboration is integral to Breakthrough T1D, and we will draw on our international network to help us achieve more together. The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge will support our talented research community to grow, deepen connections and drive faster than ever before toward new treatments and cures that free people from the relentless burden of type 1 diabetes.” Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at Breakthrough T1D UK
Keep up to date with all the latest progress and developments of the Grand Challenge here.