Michigan Initiative to Reprogram Cells for Diabetes (MIRC-D)
The Michigan Initiative to Reprogram Cells for Diabetes (MIRC-D), led in partnership with U-M spinout iReprogram, is developing and testing a predictive platform that aims to reprogram a patient’s own cells into functional replacements. Integrating mathematics, biology, and computer science, MIRC-D’s central goal is to move diabetes care beyond chronic disease management toward regenerative repair by using direct cell reprogramming to convert a patient’s own cells into therapeutic cell types.
By uniting seven U-M departments, three industry partners, and one nonprofit partner, the project will combine two major technology components: an AI-powered discovery engine and a standardized experimental validation workflow called the Gold Standard Workflow, or GoldSW. The discovery engine will predict transcription factor “recipes” that can drive cells into desired therapeutic states, while the GoldSW will test and refine these recipes in reproducible, scalable lab protocols. Together, these tools are intended to reduce the trial-and-error that currently slows cell reprogramming and make it possible to identify, validate, and improve therapeutic targets more efficiently.
U-M Teams
Medical School (opens in new tab) (primary), College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (opens in new tab)
Secondary Contacts
Gil Omenn (Medical School), Max Wicha (Medical School), Dorene Markel (Medical School), Lindsey Muir (Medical School), Scott Soleimanpour (Medical School), Tom Gardner (Medical School), Rajesh Rao (Medical School), Patrice Fort (Medical School), Anthony Bloch (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts), Indika Rajapakse (Medical School), Hakan Oral (Medical School), Matthias Kretzler (Medical School), John Varga (Medical School)
