Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has named two new centers — one dedicated to diabetes research and the other focused on developing imaging methods for the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease — as 2014 recipients of initial funding under the IUPUI Signature Centers Initiative.

The IUPUI Signature Centers Initiative fosters the development of centers unique to IUPUI that can lead the way in world-class research and creative activities, and make a difference in the real world. The initiative provides each selected center with initial funding for a period of three years. This year’s recipients were selected from a pool of five applications.

The 2014 initial funding recipients are the Indiana Diabetes Research Center, directed by Dr. Raghu Mirmira; and the Research Center for Quantitative Renal Imaging, co-directed by Gary Hutchins and Dr. Bruce Molitoris.

The overall mission of the Indiana Diabetes Research Center is to support training and promote research in diabetes, obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Currently, there is no comprehensive research center within the United States that is solely dedicated to achieving the center’s mission.