dkNET community events and announcements in April, 2026

Dear dkNET Community,

dkNET provides updates on activities of interest to the NIDDK-supported community. You could keep up to date on these activities through our Twitter feed @dkNET_info, through our Community Calendar, or through dkNET e-mail list. If you have an event or funding opportunities you'd like to advertise, please contact us info_at_dknet.org.

dkNET News

• dkNET Upcoming Webinar: "A tour of HumanBase, an interactive AI platform for human biology", presented by Dr. Rachel Sealfon from Flatiron Institute on Friday, April 24, 2026, 11 am - 12 pm PT. More information: https://dknet.org/about/blog/2915

• dkNET Summer of Data Student Program: Calling all students in NIDDK relevant disease research fields! Ready to explore data management, FAIR data, rigor and reproducibility, and data sciences? The dkNET Summer of Data program offers training to boost your research skills. Application deadline (extended): April 20, 2026. More information: https://dknet.org/about/Summer-Program

• New Resource Released: Find NIDDK & Trans-NIH Funding Opportunities Learn how to search for NIDDK & trans-NIH funding opportunities with our step-by-step tutorial. Start here: https://dknet.org/about/niddk-funding

• DOE Funding Opportunity: DOE Genesis Mission for Transforming Science and Energy with AI DOE has announced a $293M funding opportunity to support AI-driven advances in science and energy, with awards spanning early-stage and large-scale projects across academia, industry, and national laboratories. Phase I applications and Phase II letters of intent are due April 28, 2026. Phase II applications are due May 19, 2026. More information: https://dknet.org/about/dknetnews/2908

• NIH Funding Opportunity: Computational Modeling of Hormone Homeostasis Initiative Experts from the Office of Women’s Health (ORWH) and the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) have joined to launch a new initiative leveraging advancements in computational modeling to deepen understanding of sex-specific hormonal biology. Applications are due: June 8, 2026. More information: https://dknet.org/about/dknetnews/2914
  
  

Apr. 08, 2026

Diabetes Research Virtual Seminar Series

Speaker: Ravi Shah, MD. Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Director, Clinical and Translational Research; Co-director, Vanderbilt Diabetes Center;Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

More information: https://diabetes-virtual-seminar.org/

Apr. 09, 2026

Knowledge Portal Network Webinar "Enabling Discovery: Unveiling New Data, Features, and Tools in the Common Metabolic Disease Knowledge Portal (CMDKP)"

Be the FIRST to see what’s new in CMDKP. Join the knowledge portal network webinar for an exclusive first look at: 1. New data, features, and tools ; 2. Insights into what we built and why it matters 3. Ask questions live.

More information: https://hugeamp.org/news.html?nid=1740

Apr. 13, 2026

2026 NIDDK K Awardees Workshop

The purpose of the workshop is to offer NIDDK career development awardees an in-depth view of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NIDDK. The workshop will provide an opportunity to become familiar with the roles of various NIH staff, the types of grant support and resources available, and navigating the NIH grant process. In addition, investigators from the NIDDK research community will share strategies and career advice for achieving success as a research or physician scientist. The workshop form at will encourage networking among participants, and NIDDK program staff will be available for discussion of individual research projects and grant applications.

Location:  North Bethesda, MD, USA

More information: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/news/meetings-workshops/2026/k-awardees-2026

Apr. 17, 2026

Application deadline: Bio-IT FAIR Data Hackathon

The Bio-IT World Hackathon is a cornerstone of the Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, bringing together data scientists, software developers, and life science professionals to tackle real-world data challenges. Focused on Open Source and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles, this two-day event fosters innovation and collaboration to deliver practical solutions. The 2026 hackathon will continue to unite life science and technical professionals to address pressing data challenges using Open Source and FAIR Data approaches. Facilitated by leaders from the NIH Commo n Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE), this year’s event will focus on projects leveraging omics data and integrating CFD E tools, improving interoperability across datasets to accelerate discoveries. The CFDE ensures Common Fund data is accessible and reusable, providing researchers with a centralized online platform f or integrating multiple resources seamlessly while enabling new insights an d scalable solutions. Hackathon dates: May 18-19, 2026 in Boston, MA.

More information: https://www.bio-itworldexpo.com/fair-data-hackathon

Apr. 20-24, 2026

The 21st Immunology of Diabetes Society (IDS) Congress

The 21st Immunology of Diabetes Society (IDS) Congress, will be held in Brisbane, Australia in 2026! The IDS Congress is the premiere meeting for the international community of researchers, clinicians and industry representatives studying the pathogenesis and treatment of type 1 diabetes. Every 18 months, members of IDS convene to share the latest in cutting edge research, debate big questions in the field, and catch up with old and new colleagues. The Brisbane conference is sure to be another memorable IDS meeting, and we look forward to your participation. Meeting Dates: April 20 - 24, 2026.

Location:  Brisbane QLD, Australia

More information: https://www.ids2026.com.au/

Apr. 23, 2026

PanKbase Office Hours

Are you new to Knowledge Graphs? Are you learning how they can help with your research. Are you an active user? Do you want to give us you r feedback on PanKgraph? The PanKbase Office Hours will cover PanKgraph and the use of knowledge graphs in Type 1 Diabetes research. Mark your calendars if you want to learn about PanKgraph.

More information: https://broadinstitute.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__dgDoIUZSVyPwKvZ3 Xx7mQ#/registration

Apr. 24, 2026

dkNET Webinar: A Tour of HumanBase, an Interactive AI Platform for Human Biology

Join dkNET Webinar on Friday, April 24, 2026, 11 am - 12 pm PT

Presenter: Rachel Sealfon, PhD, Research Scientist, Flatiron Institute 

Abstract

The wealth of existing heterogeneous biological datasets presents computational challenges for analysis as well as opportunities for learning valuable functional insights. Cutting-edge algorithms can facilitate analyses but are often not accessible to biomedical researchers or anyone lacking expensive computational resources. Here, we present HumanBase (humanbase.io), a data integration and analysis platform that applies AI/machine learning algorithms to learn tissue, cell type, and context-specific biological associations from massive genomic datasets. HumanBase integrate s ~62,000 experiments, inferring the chromatin, expression, and post-transcriptional impact of genetic variants, predicting tissue-specific functional networks, and clustering genes into functional modules. HumanBase can guide experimental design and discovery by democratizing advanced, computation-intensive methods through intuitive web interfaces and distributed computing resources. This powerful, broadly accessible analytic platform allows users without coding knowledge to run high-performance end-to-end predictive pipelines and generate publication-quality visualizations, while the API provides programmatic access.

The top 3 key questions that HumanBase can answer:
1.What additional genes are functionally related to my gene(s) of interest in a specific tissue context?
2. What are the main function and process themes in my large list of genes?
3. What is the impact of a non-coding variant on regulatory activity, epigenetics, post-transcriptional regulation, and cell-type specific gene expression?

More Information: https://dknet.org/about/blog/2915

Funding Opportunities Information and Deadlines in April 2026
 

Apr. 13, 2026

Application Deadline: dkNET Summer of Data Student Program

The Summer of Data program provides students the opportunity to learn data management, FAIR data, rigor and reproducibility, and data science skills while performing their research.  It is a 7-8 week virtual summer program where students engage in weekly sessions with dkNET staff and associates to learn about how to use dkNET and other tools to support their research, while engaging in research projects within their labs.  A $500 stipend is provided. 

More information: https://dknet.org/about/Summer-Program

Apr. 15, 2026

HIRN Funding Opportunity Letter of Intent Due: HIRN Emerging Leader Funding Initiative

HIRN is proud to announce the HIRN Emerging Leader fundi ng initiative aimed to provide support and protected time for senior postdoctoral fellows seeking to pursue studies that will enhance their transition toward independent research careers. Applications are sought from experienced postdoctoral fellows with a minimum of two years of ongoing postdoctoral experience who intend to continue research careers in scientific areas supported by the HIRN. This opportunity is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial that is itself comprised of a clinical trial intervention.

More information: https://dknet.org/about/dknetnews/2900

Apr. 24, 2026

NIH Funding Opportunity Letter of Intent Due: Computational Modeling of Hormone Homeostasis Initiative

Experts from the Office of Women’s Health (ORWH) and the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPS I) have joined to launch a new initiative leveraging advancements in computational modeling to deepen understanding of sex-specific hormonal biology. The goal of this initiative is to promote the development of computer-based methods that model and simulate hormone homeostasis, or activity during steady-state biological processes. To better understand the impact of sex-specific hormone biology on health outcomes, this initiative aims to stimulate the development of novel human-based, data-driven models tailored to a man or a woman’s complex male/female physiology through advanced computational techniques. These techniques may include digital twins, interactive ma chine learning, multi-scale models, artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced multi-scale models, and more. Application Due: June 8, 2026.

More information: https://dknet.org/a bout/dknetnews/2914

Apr. 28, 2026

Funding Opportunity Application and Letter of Intent Due: DOE Genes is Mission ($293M) for Transforming Science and Energy with AI

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new funding opportunity focused on advancing AI applications in scientific discovery and energy systems. The RFA is open to teams from DOE National Laboratories, U.S. industry, and academia. Phase I awards will range from $500,000 to $750,000 for a nine-month project period, while Phase II awards will range from $6 million to $15 million over a three-year project period. Teams can apply directly to either phase in FY 2026, with successful Phase I teams eligible for larger Phase II awards in future cycles. Key dates: Phase I applications and Phase II letters of intent are due April 28, 2026; Phase II applications are due May 19, 2026.

More information: https://dknet.org/about/dknetnews/2908