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.
Featured Experts
Sara Baier, MEd
Associate Director of External Relations, Colton Consortium for Autoimmunity
Colton Center for Autoimmunity, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Jennifer Gillen, MBA
Administrative Manager, Judith & Stewart Colton Center for Autoimmunity (NYU)
Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine / NYU Langone Health, New York University
Kenneth Hassinger
Director of Finance, Colton Consortium for Autoimmunity
Colton Center for Autoimmunity, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaFeatured Projects
Developing a Multi-parameter Prognostic Prediction Model for Disability Ranks and Progression of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis at the Early Stages of the Disease
Integrating clinical, imaging, and biological data from large real-world MS cohorts, this project builds a machine learning model to predict disability progression early and enable personalized treatment decisions.
Immunotherapy-Related Adverse Effects as Models for Fragile Tolerance in Humans
Using cancer patients experiencing immunotherapy-triggered autoimmunity as a unique human model, this project uncovers the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms by which self-reactive T cells escape immune tolerance.
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