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Congratulations to DAC Researchers Funded Through Diabetes Canada Awards

Posted date: January 23, 2026

Strong ideas rise to the top in competitive funding rounds and this year’s Diabetes Canada competition was no exception. With 13 awards funded from 135 applications, the bar was high. Against that backdrop, five of the 13 funded awards (38%) were led by DAC members.

DAC supported 14 of the submitted applications, with three funded, representing a success rate of more than 21% for DAC-supported submissions. Congratulations to David Campbell, Annalijn Conklin, and Mahavir Agarwal, whose projects were supported by DAC.

Projects funded:

  • Does impaired brain insulin action underlie the shared risk of depression and diabetes? A neuroimaging clinical trial
    • Led by Mahavir Agarwal
  • Can social connections help protect against the risk of diabetes and its physical and mental health complications?
    • Led by Annalijn Conklin
  • Enhancing food skills among people exiting homelessness
    • Led by David Campbell

We also celebrate DAC members Bruce Verchere and Dylan MacKay, who were funded through this competition as well.

Projects funded:

  • Can type 2 diabetes remission be achieved with the help of a diabetes medication that works for weight loss
    • Led by Dr. Dylan MacKay
  • Fixing insulin production in type 1 diabetes 
    • Led by Dr. Bruce Verchere

Every project funded through this competition addresses an important aspect of diabetes research. We congratulate all of this year’s award recipients and are proud to see DAC members contributing to such a strong and diverse portfolio of work.

Learn more about Diabetes Canada’s funded research: https://www.diabetes.ca/research/research-funding/currently-funded-research

Featured in Article

Mahavir Agarwal

Annalijn Conklin

MPH, PhD (cantab)

David J. T. Campbell

MD, MSc, PhD, FRCPC

Bruce Verchere

PhD

Dylan MacKay

MSc, PhD

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