Brehm Center Concordia Coalition

Three of the nation’s leading centers of diabetes care and research have formed an alliance – the Concordia Coalition - to foster collaborative research and train the next generation of leaders in diabetes and metabolism researcher.

The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center of Columbia University, Barbara Davis Diabetes Center of the University of Colorado and Brehm Center at the University of Michigan formed the Concordia Coalition in 2024. As leading diabetes research centers, they aim to develop the next generation of scientific leaders. A key component of modern discovery is collaboration – the sharing of ideas, skills, and resources. The Concordia Coalition for Diabetes Research fosters collaboration and forges a community among rising stars in diabetes research. It is building a community across leading Diabetes Centers, cultivating scientific friendships, and inculcating a belief in and methods for achieving productive and exciting collaborations and scientific exchanges. 

To achieve these goals, the Coalition’s Concordia Scholars Program identifies young leaders in diabetes research, bringing them together to develop innovative collaborative approaches to understanding physiology and pathophysiology relevant to diabetes and related metabolic disorders. Ultimately, we expect this program to lead to the improved prevention and treatment of diabetes and diabetes-related disorders.
 

The application window for this year is now closed.

The selected scholar will join fellow Concordia Scholars and faculty mentors for an in-person meeting in Colorado from October 3 to October 5, 2026, where participants will exchange ideas, build connections, and brainstorm new collaborative directions in diabetes research. Travel and lodging expenses for the meeting will be covered.

Following the meeting, the Coalition will select 1–2 collaborative research pilot projects for funding. Proposed projects should draw upon the expertise, perspectives, and resources of young scientists across the Coalition Diabetes Centers. Projects must be novel and should not simply represent an extension of ongoing research.

Over the subsequent two years, Concordia Scholars will participate in mentorship and training opportunities spanning the three centers, meet periodically with one another and with faculty mentors, and carry out their collaborative research projects.

This opportunity is designed to support the development of emerging diabetes researchers while fostering innovative, cross-center collaborations that advance the field.