Maria Coronel Receives JDRF Innovator Award

Congratulations to Maria Coronel, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, on receiving the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Innovator Award, which has a primary focus on financing pioneering proposals with high risks and high rewards.

These proposals hold the promise of groundbreaking discoveries that align with JDRF’s mission to expedite finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. The award specifically pertains to the Coronel Lab’s innovative technology dubbed GeLite: Glowing Engineered Luminescent Microgels for Transplant Evaluation. GeLite involves the engineering of bioluminescent cytokines, which are immobilized on the surface of bead-like structures, reminiscent of Roe but on a smaller scale. These engineered proteins emit light upon encountering their designated targets, serving as indicators of transplant failure. This luminescent response enables noninvasive monitoring of transplanted cells, enhancing our ability to assess their viability.

“We feel incredibly privileged to receive funding from JDRF for this project,” Dr. Coronel said. “Their steadfast support has been integral to our lab’s journey from its inception, enabling us to conduct groundbreaking research from the very beginning. This technology perfectly resonates with the mission of my lab of developing inclusive and accessible technologies. Its simplicity allows for easy adaptation, akin to snapping a quick picture, unlike other methods that can be invasive and cost-prohibitive. Over the past few months, we’ve delved into this endeavor and are very excited about the promising developments that lie ahead.”