Yale’s Colton Center Awards $750K to Seven Autoimmune Disease Research Projects

The Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale has announced $750,000 in awards to seven faculty-led research projects targeting autoimmune and allergic diseases — conditions that affect an estimated 23.5 million Americans. The funded projects span a range of diseases including celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurativa, with each team bringing a novel scientific approach to diagnosis, prevention, or treatment.

Beyond funding, the awards come with expert mentorship and business training designed to help researchers navigate the path to commercialization — a critical gap the Colton Center was specifically founded to address. Many promising scientific discoveries stall without the proof-of-concept and validation studies needed to attract commercial partners or launch a startup. These grants are designed to carry research over exactly that hurdle.

This year’s awardees include faculty from Yale’s departments of Immunobiology, Dermatology, Chemistry, and Pathology, reflecting the center’s commitment to cross-disciplinary collaboration. Notable projects include the development of insulin-producing beta cells resistant to autoimmune destruction, a noninvasive skin protein assessment tool for inflammatory skin disease treatment, and a new humanized mouse model serving as a surrogate for human celiac disease.

Established in 2019 through a gift from philanthropists Judith and Stewart Colton, the center operates under the scientific direction of Dr. Joseph Craft and is housed within Yale Ventures. Applications for the 2024 funding cycle open September 5, 2023.