dkNET community events and announcements in May, 2025

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

• Upcoming dkNET Webinars: Join us for dkNET webinars (1) An Introduction to the CAIRIBU (Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology) Research Community, presented by Dr. Kristina Penniston, on Friday, May 9, 2025, 11 am - 12 pm PT. More information: https://dknet.org/about/blog/2834 (2) Integrating RAG Chatbots into Bioinformatics Platforms , presented by Dr. Avi Ma'ayan, on Friday, May 16, 2025. More information: https://dknet.org/about/blog/2836

Events in May 2025

May. 7-8, 2025

NIDDK Workshop (Hybrid): Leveraging Real-World Evidence to Optimize Use of GLP-1-Based Therapies

At the end of the workshop, participants will identify gaps and opportunities for future research on:

1.     Best practices for study designs of GLP-1-based therapies using RWE.

2.     Identifying and developing data sources for RWD studies, including strengths and limitations.

3.     Best practices for analytic methods to address issues specific to GLP-1-based therapies in studies using real-world data (RWD).

4.     Use of RWE in clinical decision-making and clinical guidelines development.

5.     Use of RWE for regulatory and healthcare policy decision-making

Workshop dates: May 7-8, 2025.

Location:  Bethesda, MD, USA

More information: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/news/meetings-workshops/2025/leveraging-real-world-evidence-2025

May. 9, 2025

dkNET Webinar: An Introduction to the CAIRIBU (Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology) Research Community

Join dkNET Webinar on Friday, May 9, 2025, 11 am - 12 pm PT

Presenter: Kristina Penniston, PhD. Distinguished Senior Scientist, Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine Public Health

Abstract

CAIRIBU (Collaborating for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology, https://cairibu.urology.wisc.edu/), funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK), is a growing community of investigators and trainees committed to advancing benign urologic research through collaboration and shared resources. Originating from NIDDK-funded urology research centers, CAIRIBU has expanded to include participants from across the b roader genitourinary research community. The CAIRIBU Interactions Core, established to provide scientific leadership within the nonmalignant urologic research space, fosters collaboration and outreach between CAIRIBU-affiliated investigators and those in the wider nonmalignant urologic research community, promotes interdisciplinary engagement, and supports a wide range of initiatives for researchers at all career stages. The overall mission of the CAIRIBU is to accelerate progress in understanding and treating benign urologic conditions. This webinar will provide an overview of CAIRIBU’s development, mission, current initiatives, resources, and the tools used to evaluate its impact.

The top 3 key questions that CAIRIBU resources can help answer:
1. Where can I find research resources such as antibodies, datasets, and software tools that are used by the benign urology research community?
2. Where can I find training materials and educational events, including webinars tailored for genitourinary researchers?
3. Where can I learn about funding opportunities and connect with potential collaborators in the field of non-malignant urology?

Resource link: CAIRIBU (Collaborating for the Advancement of Inter disciplinary Research in Benign Urology) https://cairibu.urology.wisc.edu/

Dial-in Information: https://uchealth.zoom.us/ meeting/register/oV3suRN-S8yKSkLPiNp0yA

More information: https://dknet.org/about/blog/2834

May. 16, 2025

dkNET Webinar: Integrating RAG Chatbots into Bioinformatics Platforms

Join dkNET Webinar on Friday, May 16, 2025, 11 am - 12 pm PT

Presenter: Avi Ma'ayan, PhD, Mount Sinai Endowed Professor in Bioinformatics, Professor in Department of Pharmacological Sciences, and Director of Mount Sinai Center of Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Abstract
The advent of large language models (LLMs) has revolutionized numerous fields with their impressive performance on a variety of natural language processing tasks. However, their application in biomedical research remains controversial due to their well-documented tendency to generate non-factual content. Given the foundational importance of accuracy, rigor, and reproducibility in the life sciences, such limitations pose significant barriers to adoption. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) frameworks offer a promising solution by grounding LLM responses with curated external knowledge sources, such as databases or document repositories, thereby constraining outputs to verifiable and citable information. Over the past two years, the Ma’ayan Lab has integrated RAG-based chatbots into several of its web-based bioinformatics platform s to enhance user interaction and provide accurate, context-specific assistance. These platforms include Playbook Workflow Builder, D2H2, GeneSetCart, Harmonizome, and the CFDE Workbench. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of each of these software platforms, highlighting how RAG-enhanced conversational interfaces were implemented to improve usability, facilitate knowledge discovery, and support data-driven discovery with examples related to diabetes.

Link s to RAG chatbot features in software platforms developed by the Ma'ayan La b:

Playbook Workflow Builder: https://playbook-workflow-builder.cloud/chat
Diabetes Data and Hypothesis Hub (D2H2): https://d2h2.maayanlab.cloud/hypotheses
GeneSetCart: https://genesetcart.cfde.cloud/gmt-cross
Harmonizome: https://maayanlab.cloud/Harmonizome/chatbot
CFDE Workbench: https://data.cfde.cloud/chat

The top 3 key questions that Diabetes Data and Hypothesis Hub(D2H2) resource can answer:

1. What transcription factors or small molecules are associated with my gene set in the context of diabetes? 

2. Which diabetes-rela ted studies show significant differential expression of my gene or gene set ?

3. Which LINCS L1000 small molecules may reverser or mimic my up an d down gene sets?

Dial-in Information: https://uchealth.zoom.us/meeting/register/91I6Og3PQwCIJe_iXB LjPQ

More information: https://dknet.org/about/blog/2836

May. 29, 2025

NIDDK Central Repository Webinar Series "FAIR and AI-Ready Data Sharing"

This session is geared towards researchers wanting to understand and implement the skills and competencies needed to make biomedical and behavioral research data FAIR and AI-ready, including:

• FAIR principles and workflows
• Ethical considerations of data generating, handling, and sharing
• Core competencies to support AI-assisted biomedical research
• NIH-supported open-source data sharing
• Training and educational resources available to researchers

More information: https://repository.niddk.nih.gov/pages/webinars

Funding Opportunities Information and Deadlines in May 2025

May. 26, 2025

NIDDK Funding Opportunity Letter of Intent Due: Collaborative Research Using Biosamples and/or Data from Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Studies (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for studies of type 1 diabetes etiology and pathogenesis using data and samples from clinical trials and studies. This opportunity is intended to fund investigative teams collaborating to answer important questions about disease mechanisms leading to improved delay and durable prevention of t ype 1 diabetes. This NOFO is associated with the Special Diabetes Program ( https://www.niddk.nih.gov/about-niddk/research-areas/diabetes/type-1-diabetes-special-statutory-funding-program/about-special-diabetes-program) which funds research on the prevention, treatment, and cure of type 1 diabetes and its complications, including unique, innovative, and collaborative research consortia and clinical trials networks. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP). Application Due Date: June 26, 2025.

More information: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DK-26-007.html