Clinical Trials
Reimagining Trials with Equity and Youth at the Center
KFD is reshaping what clinical research looks like—making it more inclusive, youth-powered, and grounded in lived experience. From early-stage diagnostics to behavioral interventions, we believe young people with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) deserve not just access to trials, but a seat at the table designing them.
🧪 Why It Matters
Traditional trials often leave out the people most affected. Youth from underserved communities face barriers to enrollment, trust, and relevance. We work to change that—by embedding equity into design, recruitment, and dissemination.
💡 How We Engage in Trials
- Community-Based Recruitment: Partnering with schools, clinics, and community organizations to reach youth often excluded from traditional trial pipelines.
- Youth Fellow & Ambassador Input: Our fellows co-develop trial protocols, recruitment messaging, and feedback loops.
- Trust-Building Practices: We support trauma-informed, culturally responsive methods that respect autonomy, transparency, and access to results.
- Bridge to Innovation: Trials often serve as the on-ramp for tech adoption in schools and homes. We help ensure transitions are ethical and empowering.
🔍 Areas of Focus
We’re actively involved or seeking partnerships in trials related to:
- Non-invasive glucose monitoring and wearable tech validation
- Peer-to-peer diabetes education platforms
- Mental health interventions tailored to adolescents with chronic illness
- School-based screening and triage models
- Insulin access, affordability, and new therapeutic pipelines
🙌 How to Partner with Us
If you’re planning or launching a T1D clinical study and want:
- Better recruitment outcomes with diverse youth
- Insight into youth experience and usability
- Help designing accessible, equity-grounded protocols
Then KFD wants to hear from you. We can:
- Co-design youth advisory boards
- Offer fellow placement as study team members
- Collaborate on grants, IRB review language, and impact dissemination
💌 Reach Out
Email [email protected] to start the conversation. Together, we can redefine clinical research—not just as a pathway to treatment, but as a practice of inclusion, dignity, and community power.
