For a future where diabetes no longer defines a life.

01 / A PERSONAL COMMITMENT

We decided to take an active role.

Type 1 diabetes does not take days off. An ordinary day — work, school, a walk, a night’s sleep — involves measurements, calculations and decisions. People with T1D and their families know what this constant responsibility means.

For us, the desire to change that reality became a reason to rethink our lives, set aside previous pursuits and focus on Sugar Pulse. We began with what we could do: gather information, find specialists, explain complex topics and bring people together.

The project took shape through a community, educational content, conversations with clinicians and researchers, digital tools and patient navigation. Each conversation deepened our understanding of people’s needs. A question about the future kept returning: how could we contribute to the development of therapies that change the course of the disease?

02 / A https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/newsroom/news-releases/2013/01/sophias-cure-foundation-donates-650000-in-2012-to-nationwide-childrens-hospital OF INSPIRATION

Sophia’s story: love turned into action.

We are inspired by Sophia’s Cure Foundation. Vincent and Catherine Gaynor founded it after their daughter Sophia was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy in 2009. They brought volunteers together and raised funds for research.

Their efforts supported Brian Kaspar’s programme at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The hospital reported that the foundation had raised over US$2.3 million for it in three years, supporting research and preparations for a clinical trial. Read the hospital’s account ↗

In 2019, the FDA approved the gene therapy Zolgensma for children under two with SMA. Nationwide Children’s Hospital names Sophia’s Cure Foundation among the funders of the therapy’s first clinical trial. This milestone followed years of work by researchers, families, donors and biotechnology teams. The foundation’s contribution and the approval ↗

What moves us is the connection between personal commitment and professional science. People who urgently needed answers helped researchers move forward. A family initiative became part of a much wider effort.

T1D has its own biology and research challenges. The lesson we take from this story is a practical one: bring people together, find strong scientific teams and help turn well-founded ideas into research that can be tested.

03 / OUR SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION

A far-reaching goal needs precise questions.

SP Science is the research initiative of Sugar Pulse, led by Bulat Valitov, PhD, an endocrinologist. Scientists in Russia and other countries support our initiative. We are developing this dialogue to identify worthwhile research priorities and the contribution our centre can make.

T1D research connects several complex challenges: restoring or replacing insulin-producing cells, protecting those cells from immune attack, and assessing safety and durability. Choosing the next step requires a view of the whole landscape, from early hypotheses to evidence from studies in people.

Our long-term ambition is to bring a world without type 1 diabetes closer. Today, we are building the research programme and partnerships. Progression to experimental or clinical work requires a scientific rationale, suitable infrastructure and the necessary approvals.

04 / TURNING PURPOSE INTO WORK

Our first output is public. Our next steps are defined.

We have prepared a global research map of potential therapies and paths towards a cure for T1D, covering 58 directions and 47 sources. It is the centre’s first analytical output and a foundation for discussing priorities.

1. Gather and compare evidence

   Review the global research landscape, refine the evidence base and identify questions where further work could be valuable.

2. Consult active researchers

   Develop consultations with teams already carrying out research. Explore opportunities to extend existing work and assess approaches proposed by colleagues, including Baidus and Valitov.

3. Select priorities and partners

   Assess scientific rationale, access to models and methods, required expertise and the potential value of the findings.

4. Build the financial foundation

   Develop the financial plan, define budgets for each stage and seek funding. Planned budgets and funds actually secured will be tracked separately.

5. Prepare further research

   Following expert selection and resource commitments, prepare pilot projects, evaluate the results and decide whether to continue each direction.

The sequence for October 2026 to September 2028 is set out in the centre’s two-year work plan. We will refine the programme as new evidence and expert feedback emerge.

05 / JOIN US

There are many ways to contribute.

Researchers and clinicians are invited to offer expert input, critique the map, assess hypotheses and propose collaborations.

Research organisations and biotechnology teams can discuss methods, models, infrastructure and projects that could benefit from joint work.

Partners and potential funders can help develop specific research stages, with defined budgets and expected outputs.

People with T1D and their families can contribute perspectives on what matters for quality of life and help share reliable information.

This page describes the initiative’s stage of development as of 21 September 2026. The contact form is for collaboration and general enquiries. The website does not recruit participants for clinical trials.