{"id":6478,"date":"2026-02-05T09:58:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/press-releases\/?p=6478"},"modified":"2026-02-09T13:43:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T19:43:49","slug":"und-leads-19-9-million-federal-initiative-to-transform-diabetes-care-for-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/press-releases\/2026\/02\/und-leads-19-9-million-federal-initiative-to-transform-diabetes-care-for-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"UND Leads $20 Million Federal Initiative to Transform Diabetes Care for Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regional and national partners join in critical diabetes-related research<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Kouhyar
Kouhyar Tavakolian, professor of Biomedical Engineering and director of UND\u2019s Bioinnovation Zone, and graduate student Lina Bouakkaz demonstrate Hyperview a tissue oximetry device that will be used to image wounds.\u00a0Photo by Joe Banish\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of North Dakota is leading a major national effort to improve chronic disease management for older adults after receiving a highly competitive federal agreement of up to $19.9 million through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).<\/p>\n

Working alongside key partners SafetySpect Inc., ComDel Innovation, and Edgewood Healthcare, UND researchers will help develop Edge4Care.ai,<\/strong> a decentralized artificial intelligence platform designed to predict and prevent serious diabetes-related complications before they require emergency care.<\/p>\n

The award includes up to $16.9 million in federal funding and an additional $3 million in industry matching funds, highlighting both the scientific promise and real-world viability of the technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project exemplifies what becomes possible when academia, industry, and care providers work as a unified innovation ecosystem,\u201d said Kouhyar Tavakolian,<\/a><\/strong> professor of Biomedical Engineering,<\/a><\/strong> director of UND\u2019s BioInnovation Zone (BiZ)<\/a><\/strong> and principal investigator for the initiative. \u201cTogether, we are translating cutting-edge research into solutions that improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and preserve independence for older adults.\u201d<\/p>\n

Addressing a Growing Chronic Disease Crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chronic diseases cost the U.S. health care system more than $966 billion each year, with diabetes representing one of the most urgent and costly challenges. Every few minutes, an American experiences a life-altering limb loss due to diabetes-related complications.<\/p>\n

Each year, more than one million people develop diabetic foot ulcers, leading to over 130,000 amputations nationwide.<\/p>\n

Edge4Care.ai aims to shift healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive prevention by identifying wound risks early \u2014 before hospitalization becomes necessary \u2014 potentially reducing the need for costly acute interventions.<\/p>\n

Bringing AI Directly to the Point of Care<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike traditional digital health systems that rely on centralized cloud servers, Edge4Care.ai uses a proprietary edge computing architecture, processing patient data locally within care facilities.<\/p>\n

This approach provides several critical advantages:<\/p>\n