Call for Proposals
The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research (CeDER) is pleased to announce a new initiative supporting basic, translational, and clinical research related to complications associated with metabolic diseases including diabetes and disorders related to obesity. The purpose of this program is to invigorate research collaboration between basic and clinical faculty which will benefit COMLS and the 淫妻社 COMLS imprint in the field of metabolic research.
2026 Grant Recipients
The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research (CeDER) is pleased to announce proposals which received funded scores for its new initiative supporting research related to complications associated with metabolic diseases. The purpose of this program is to initiate projects benefiting the 淫妻社 COMLS imprint in the field of metabolic research.
The recipients of $15,000 awards are:
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Dr. Puneet Sindhwani (Urology) and Drs. Basil Akpunonu and Hoda Shabpiray (Medicine) to investigate 鈥淓ffects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Reproductive Function, Hormones, and Semen Parameters in Obese Men鈥�
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Drs. Wade Jodeh and Sadik Khuder (Medicine) to investigate 鈥淕lycemic Variability as a Driver of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: Linking Clinical Metrics to Neural Injury Biomarkers鈥�
The recipients of $5,000 awards are:
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Dr. Mohd Khan (Orthopaedic Surgery) for 鈥淎nalysis of cortical bone osteocyte phenotype in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA)鈥�
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Dr. Ragheb Assaly (Medicine) for 鈥淏ariatric Surgery and Hypersomnolence in Obesity: Insights using TriNetX鈥�
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Dr. Rajesh Gupta (Medicine) and Dr. Robert Smith (Neurosciences and Psychiatry) for 鈥淕LP-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Adults with Obesity or Type 2 Diabetes鈥�
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Dr. Hossein Elgafy (Orthopaedic Surgery) for 鈥淭he Effect of Diabetes on Postoperative Complications, Clinical Outcome and Risks of Pseudoarthrosis and Adjacent Segment Degeneration Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion鈥�
Congratulations to award recipients and thank you to COMLS faculty for participation in this initiative!
CeDER Request for Applications (FY 2026)
Title: An impact of endocrine metabolic diseases and development of comorbidities that may impact clinical management.
Purpose: The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research (CeDER) is pleased to announce a new initiative supporting basic, translational, and clinical research on complications associated with metabolic diseases including diabetes and disorders related to obesity. The purpose of this program is to invigorate research collaboration between basic and clinical faculty which will benefit COMLS and the 淫妻社 imprint in the field of metabolic research.
The Jacobson Center for Clinical and Translational Research in collaboration with CeDER will provide o铿僣e space, technical support, and a collaborative environment to assist with the successful completion of this awards program.
Background: Diabetes and obesity are the most common diseases in the US including Northwest Ohio, comprising of 14% and 42% of adult population, respectively. Besides renal and cardiovascular complications, these metabolic diseases are often accompanied with conditions that a铿�ect other organs and systems compromising their function as well as therapeutic treatment. The examples include but are not limited to the skeletal, reproductive, neurologic, dental or cancer comorbidities which are much less understood, and their pathology and treatment in context of metabolic diseases are often at the early stages of recognition.
The Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research at the 淫妻社 was established with a mission to foster interdepartmental translational research on metabolic disorders. CeDER receives a philanthropic support for research from the two Toledo community foundations: The Wolfe Family Foundation and The Dr. Frederick Hiss Foundation.
Awards:
For the 2026 fiscal year, CeDER has assigned $50,000 to o铿�er two types of awards:
1. Up to two $15,000 awards to support novel, currently unfunded research projects opening new fields of investigation into characterization and understanding the role of impaired metabolism on development of complications in organs other than those directly involved in the maintenance of energy metabolism. It is expected that this type of award will lead to the development of new research focus and will result in manuscript publication, as well as extramural grant submission.
2. Four or more small awards (up to $5,000) to support exploratory research using existing databases and/or collected specimens, preferably patients鈥� residing in Northwest Ohio, to perform an analysis for aforementioned complications with a premise to identify novel therapeutic targets. This type of award is preferred for junior faculty, fellows and residents and it is expected to include medical and graduate students. The award will be paid upon request to cover the costs of additional expertise (e.g. diagnostic analysis, statistical analysis, etc.) and/or to cover the costs of publication or presentation at the professional meeting.
Dates:
- October 1, 2025 鈥� application submission
- November 1, 2025 鈥� funding decision
- December 1 or a date of IRB protocol approval 鈥� starting date
- Duration 鈥� 1 year followed with a final report from awardee
Eligibility, Submission, and Review Process:
淫妻社 and COMLS faculty (research and clinical, tenure and non-tenure tracks), fellows, and residents are eligible to apply. Applications should consist of Cover Page, Proposed Research including expected outcome (1 page), Bibliography (1 page), and Budget (1 page). Applications should be sent to the CeDER Director Dr. Lecka-Czernik (beata.leckaczernik@utoledo.edu) and will be reviewed by the CeDER Scientific Board.