1. Home
  2. About NIDDK
  3. Staff Directory
  4. Beena Akolkar, Ph. D.

Beena Akolkar, Ph.D.

Photo of Beena Akolkar
Clinical research in the prevention and immunopathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes and the genetics and genomics of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Responsibilities & Activities

I am the program director for the Immunopathogenesis and genetics of Diabetes. My portfolio includes basic and clinical research on the genetics, immunopathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and genetics and genomics of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

I am the project scientist for the Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study, an international consortium established with the goal of developing and carrying out studies to identify environmental triggers of T1D, such as infectious agents, dietary factors, and/or psychosocial factors, in genetically susceptible individuals.

I am the project scientist for the Accelerating Medicines Partnership Program for Common Metabolic Diseases (AMP-CMD), a collaborative partnership between the NIDDK, FNIH, pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations to develop new models for identifying and validating promising biological targets to serve as biomarkers and/or for drug discovery.

I also serve as a project officer for the NIDDK Central Repositories.  My responsibilities also include coordinating research activities on T1D across the NIH.

I am the project scientist for Rare and Atypical Diabetes Network (RADIANT), a consortium to define new forms of diabetes and study the unique mechanisms underlying these unique forms of diabetes.

I am the program director for the novel national Stakeholder Engagement Innovation Center for advancing equity in type 1 diabetes research (SEIC-T1D) to accelerate equitable engagement of diverse stakeholders in T1D research; particularly those from communities that experience diabetes-related health disparities and live within the healthcare and social systems that negatively impact community members’ and patients’ health.

I am the program director for the novel national Stakeholder Engagement Innovation Center for advancing equity in type 2 diabetes research (SEIC-T2D) to accelerate equitable engagement of individuals from and communities of diverse backgrounds and sectors in developing the research priorities and activities that involve them, particularly underserved communities, and those with the highest proportion of diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

Research Programs

Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Program for Common Metabolic Diseases (AMP® CMD)
A collaborative partnership between the NIDDK, FNIH, pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations to develop new models for identifying and validating promising biological targets to serve as biomarkers and/or for drug discovery.

Clinical Research in Type 1 Diabetes
Determinants, etiology, progression, prevention, and treatment of type 1 diabetes in children and adults.

Diabetes Genetics & Genomics
Genetic mechanisms underlying type 1 and type 2 diabetes and how genetic and epigenetic variation influences the metabolism of therapeutics.

Diabetes: Treatment, Prevention, & Complications
The Diabetes: Treatment, Prevention, and Complications Program supports both basic and clinical studies aimed at addressing the prevention, treatment and pathophysiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes across the lifespan.

Committees & Working Groups

  • Type 1 Diabetes Working Group, Chair
  • Clinical Advancement based on Research Evidence (CARE) Working Group, Member
  • Basic Biology, Integrative Physiology Working Group, Member
  • DK Data Sciences Working Group, Member
  • DEM Patient Engagement Working Group, Member
  • NIDDK Clinical Sciences Working Group, Member
  • TrialNet, Ancillary, Laboratory, and Mechanistic Committees, Member
  • Immune Tolerance Network Steering and Executive Committee, Member
  • RADIANT, Genetics, Discovery and Lavoratory Committees, Member
  • Type 1 Diabetes after Acute Pancreatitis Consoritum (T1DAPC), Immunology and Diabetes Group, Member
  • Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence Steering Committee, Representative
  • CSGADP Steering Committee, Representative
  • Common Data Elements Working Group, Member
  • NIH Data Access Committee (DAC), Member
  • Prebiotics and Probiotics Working Group, Representative
  • Genomics Working Group, Member
Last Reviewed March 2023