Sidra Medicine Contributed To Breakthrough Tool for Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes

AI-powered tool uses microRNA signals to identify individuals at high risk, paving the way for earlier diagnosis and precision care

22 July 2025, Doha, Qatar – Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has helped develop an artificial intelligence (AI) powered tool that predicts the risk of developing Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), enabling earlier diagnosis and more targeted care. The tool uses microRNA signals in the blood to detect early biological changes linked to the disease.

Published in Nature Medicine, the study titled “A microRNA-based dynamic risk score for type 1 diabetes” introduces a dynamic risk score based on microRNAs, which are tiny molecules in the blood that reflect changes in the body, including early stress in insulin-producing Beta cells. By analyzing data from over 2,800 participants, the researchers found that these molecular signals could identify individuals at high risk of developing T1D long before symptoms appear.

Dr. Ammira Akil, Principal Investigator at Sidra Medicine and Director of the Metabolic and Mendelian Disorders Translational Program, who designed the study said: “This study marks a significant advancement in the way we understand and manage autoimmune diseases like Type 1 Diabetes. By combining microRNA profiling with artificial intelligence, we have developed a predictive risk score that can help identify individuals at highest risk, optimize treatment decisions and determine when to intervene. It is a powerful example of how AI and Machine Learning are transforming precision medicine into real-world clinical impact.”

Sidra Medicine’s contribution to the study was led by the Mendelian and Metabolic Translational Research Program under the Precision Genomics and Translational Omics Lab. The team played a key role in the early laboratory work on primary human insulin-producing cells and conducted critical analyses that helped with the development and validation of the clinical risk score. The study findings complement ongoing efforts at Sidra Medicine, including the DANNA¹ cohort, a local foundational population-based registry of individuals with T1D in Qatar that underpin the upcoming national screening program for early detection and prevention of Type 1 Diabetes.

Prof. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer and Chair of the Precision Medicine Program at Sidra Medicine, said: “The study findings demonstrate that the microRNA-based dynamic risk score can accurately differentiate between individuals with and without Type 1 Diabetes. It also predicts who may become insulin dependent after an islet cell transplant and identifies patients likely to respond to specific therapies- insights that current clinical markers cannot provide. Importantly, this assessment is achievable through a simple, minimally invasive blood test, making it highly promising for routine clinical use. The study also reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing the use of artificial intelligence as a powerful tool to drive earlier diagnosis, more precise treatments, and safer outcomes for patients.”

The next phase of the research will focus on validating the findings across broader and more diverse populations and assessing the integration of the dynamic risk score into clinical trials and early intervention strategies. Sidra Medicine will continue to support these efforts through its research programs and ongoing collaborations.

The groundbreaking study was made possible through a multinational collaboration involving experts from Sidra Medicine, Breakthrough T1D, the University of Western Sydney, and the PREDICT T1D Study Group.

To read the full study, click here. For more details about Sidra Medicine’s research department, please visit: sidra.org/research.

About the DANNA Cohort at Sidra Medicine

The DANNA Cohort (Determination of Autoantibody Architecture Blended with Novel Genetic Elements of Autoimmunity) is a clinical research initiative led by Sidra Medicine in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). It includes individuals with Type 1 Diabetes and their family members—both children and adults—recruited through Sidra Medicine’s pediatric endocrinology clinics and HMC’s adult endocrine services. Representing the local Qatari population and Arabs from the broader MENA region, the cohort serves as the foundation for the MENA-Type 1 Diabetes Genetic Risk Score (T1D MENA-GRS)—a genetic screening tool designed to identify individuals at high risk of developing T1D and prioritize them for advanced therapies and clinical trials. All participants undergo whole genome sequencing (WGS), and the cohort is linked to a comprehensive electronic health record data system.