Breakthrough T1D to Host Inaugural Type 1 Diabetes Clinical & Research Congress

Event Will Convene Global Leaders to Shape the Future of Type 1 Diabetes in Philadelphia October 9-11

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, is proud to announce the inaugural Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress (CRC 2026). This landmark gathering of the global T1D community will take place from October 9–11, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

CRC 2026 will serve as a one-of-a-kind forum for bringing together world-renowned clinicians, researchers, scientists, healthcare professionals, industry leaders, and community advocates across two and a half days of programming. The Congress is designed to foster collaboration, spur innovation, and provide translational insights with the shared goal of improving lives and driving toward a world without T1D.

"The first Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress is inspired by the belief that drives our work: people with type 1 diabetes deserve better care options today as we work toward a future without this condition," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Breakthrough T1D. "As a forum focused solely on type 1 diabetes, we're connecting the science with real-world implementation and lived experience to transform the future of T1D."

Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the latest scientific and clinical advances during more than 80 scientific sessions on a wide spectrum of critical focus areas, including:

• The Use of AI, Advanced Immune Profiling, Digital Twin Technologies & Other Emerging Technologies
• Pushing Toward Cures: Islet Cell & Disease-Modifying Therapies
• Addressing the Shortage of Endocrinologists
• Discovery Science & Immunotherapies
• Screening Guidelines for Early-Stage T1D
• Unmet Needs of the T1D Community & Access Gaps in Diabetes Care

CRC 2026 co-chairs Dr. Thomas Danne, Dr. Sanjoy Dutta, and Dr. Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill of Breakthrough T1D and the esteemed Clinical and Research Committee worked to assemble a faculty of speakers and presenters that include leaders from more than 16 countries and dozens of top global institutions. Some featured speakers include: Dr. Brynn Marks, Breakthrough T1D; Dr. Colin Dayan, University of Birmingham; Dr. Juan Alvarez-Dominguez, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Tandy Aye, Stanford School of Medicine; Dr. Michael Haller, University of Florida; Dr. David Ahn, Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center; and many more.

Dr. Thomas Danne, Chief Medical Officer, International, said: "The science of T1D is moving beyond managing blood sugar alone. We are learning more about how the disease develops, how to protect or replace insulin-producing cells, and how to make daily care more precise. The questions before us now are which approaches will work, for whom, and how quickly we can bring them to patients."

Dr. Sanjoy Dutta, Chief Scientific Officer, said: "Some of the most important questions in T1D cannot be answered by one area of research alone. At the Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress, scientists working on the immune system, insulin-producing cells, and emerging technologies will have the chance to challenge and build on one another's findings. Those connections can help us understand the disease more fully and accelerate the paths to cures."

Dr. Anastasia Albanese-O'Neill, Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs, said: "Scientific advances only make a difference when they can improve someone's care. At the Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress, we'll look beyond what is possible in the lab to the questions clinicians and people with T1D face every day: who can benefit, how care can be tailored to their needs, and what it will take to make new options accessible."

CRC 2026 is poised to usher in a new moment for the T1D community as it reaches an inflection point on its path toward cures. For more information about the event, visit bt1dcongress.org

To learn more about Breakthrough T1D's work, visit breakthrought1d.org 

About Breakthrough T1D
As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition.

About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts 9.5 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D.

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SOURCE Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF