Diabetes Research

At Seattle Children’s, we work to make life better for kids, teens and young adults with diabetes. Our team partners with families to find new and better ways to care for diabetes.

Our studies look at:

  • How diabetes starts and changes as kids grow
  • New medicines and devices that may help with daily care
  • How changes in the body and life factors — like food access — affect health
  • Ways to support families and help kids feel more confident in their care

When families join a study, they help us learn. We are proud to work together with families and community partners, so every child with diabetes can look forward to a healthier future.

Current Research Studies

Clinical Trial / Research Study

Effects of High-Resistance Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training on Cardiorenal and Vascular Function in Youth and Young Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

High-resistance, short-duration inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) is a novel lifestyle intervention involving 30 inhalations against a resistive load...

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06936670

Clinical Trial / Research Study

Puberty, diAbetes, aNd THe kidnEys, when eustress becomes distRess (PANTHER study)

Our central hypothesis is that obese youth with prediabetes and T2D experience relative kidney hypoxia during puberty due to a metabolic mismatch between...

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT05008276

Clinical Trial / Research Study

Impact of Disparities in Food Security on Glycemic Control and Health Care Utilization Among Youth and Young Adults with Diabetes

This study will identify the day-to-day effects of food insecurity on youth and young adults with diabetes, including impact on their diabetes management and...

Clinical Trial / Research Study

MANATEE-T1D: Metformin ANd AutomaTEd insulin delivery system Effects on renal vascular resistance, insulin sensitivity, and cardiometabolic function in youth with Type 1 Diabetes

This is a double blinded placebo trial to learn about the health effects of combining two treatments, the automated insulin delivery system and metformin, for...

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT05065372

Clinical Trial / Research Study

InvesT1D: A financial incentives program study in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Evaluate InvesT1D’s efficacy for improving adolescent clinical, behavioral, and quality of life outcomes in a full-scale RCT.

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06384911

Clinical Trial / Research Study

Achieving Health in Emerging Adults Diabetes Program (AHEAD)

A study looking at the impact of a clinical program designed to support emerging adults with type 1 diabetes as compared to usual care

Clinical Trial / Research Study

RADIANT

The aim of this study is to define a process for identifying and studying individuals and families with rare and uncharacterized forms of diabetes. Genetic and...

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT05544266

Clinical Trial / Research Study

Novel Measure to Detect Eating, Exercise, and Insulin Perceptions and Behaviors in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Generating Evidence of Validity and Reliability

To learn more about this study, please email the study team member listed below.

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NA

Clinical Trial / Research Study

A Phase 3, Open-Label, Multicenter, Single-Arm Study to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Efficacy of Dulaglutide 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg in Pediatric Participants 10 to Less than 18...

Study H9X-MC-GBGS is a Phase 3, open-label, multicenter, single-arm study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of dulaglutide...

Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06739122

External research studies

TrialNet Type 1 Diabetes Risk Screening

Pathway to Prevention

TrialNet is an international network of leading academic institutions, endocrinologists, physicians, scientists and healthcare teams at the forefront of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.

For relatives of people with T1D, TrialNet risk screening detects the disease in its earliest stages.

Clinical Trials at Benaroya Research Institute

Benaroya Research Institute

Seattle Children’s partners with Benaroya Research Institute on diabetes research, including screening family members for type 1 diabetes and studies that aim to slow disease progression in children diagnosed within the past 90 days.

Our Researchers

Cate Pihoker, MD
Cate Pihoker, MD Program Director, Endocrinology Education; Clinic Chief, Diabetes/Endocrine (interim); Division Chief, Endocrinology As Seattle Children's principal investigator for SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth and other diabetes research studies, Dr. Cate Pihoker is leading national efforts to gain a better understanding of the differences in the development, clinical presentation, and health outcomes in youth with diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a major health concern affecting about 16 million Americans. It is a leading cause of nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, and coronary and peripheral vascular disease. It is the third-most-prevalent severe chronic disease of childhood in the United States.
Petter Mathias Bjornstad, MD
Petter Mathias Bjornstad, MD
Kalie Tommerdahl, MD
Kalie Tommerdahl, MD

Diabetes Research Team

  • Katie Hall

    Katie Hall

    Clinical Research Coordinator II

  • Beth Loots, MPH, MSW

    Beth Loots, MPH, MSW

    Research Manager

  • Barbara Maslaney, RN, BSN, CDE

    Barbara Maslaney, RN, BSN, CDE

    Clinical Research Coordinator III

  • Stephanie Purdy, BS, BA

    Stephanie Purdy, BS, BA

    Clinical Research Coordinator III

Improving Diabetes Outcomes Team

  • Ciara DeGraff

    Ciara DeGraff

    Clinical Research Coordinator I

  • Samantha Perez

    Samantha Perez

    Clinical Research Coordinator II

  • Tian Westland

    Tian Westland

    Clinical Research Coordinator II

Contact Us

Diabetes Research

For questions or inquiries, email: [email protected]

Physical Address

Center for Clinical and Translational Research
1920 Terry Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101