David Ramirez, a PhD Candidate in the lab of Dr. Richard Benninger, was recently awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research. Often referred to as the F31 award, Mr. Ramirez will use this award to continue working on using contrast enhanced ultrasound to diagnose type 1 diabetes. Mr. Ramirez will study sub-micron contrast agents and their extravasation from the islet microvasculature into the pancreas during disease progression. The goal of his work is to predict disease onset prior to clinical diagnosis. If successful, this work will allow clinicians an opportunity to arrest disease progression with immunomodulary drugs and other β-cell treatments.