DRC & Research News

This page shares the latest news in T1D research and DRC’s community.

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DNA Strand

Using Gene Editing as a Potential Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

It has been more than a decade since scientists began experimenting with CRISPR gene-editing technology to alter DNA sequences and gene function. This tool allows scientists to correct mutations or defects in genes and manipulate them to treat or prevent certain diseases. This technology has also been used with crops. Researchers are still exploring this tool’s potential and ethical use, but many studies have been conducted thus far using it in different ways.

A recent study examines the use of CRISPR-Cas9 in the treatment of diabetes. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis corrected a mutation in the WFS1 gene which causes Wolfram syndrome, of which diabetes is one symptom. Then, they used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit human-induced pluripotent stem cells and target their differentiation into pancreatic beta cells. This creates an abundance of fully functional beta cells to be used in conjunction with gene therapy.

When the altered beta cells were transplanted into diabetic mice, blood glucose levels dropped and glycemic control was maintained for at least six months. Scientists are exploring whether this process can be used to effectively reverse or stop type 1 diabetes by editing a patient’s own beta cells. In addition, the abundance of cells created means that more testing can occur to develop specific medications or therapies to treat the disease.

More research is needed before gene editing can potentially be used as an approved treatment for type 1 diabetes, but researchers continue to learn more. Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is interested to see what this technology may mean for the future of diabetes treatment and management and how it could evolve. Though not involved with this study, the DRC is committed to supporting research around type 1 diabetes and provides early-career scientists with critical funding for novel, peer-reviewed studies. To learn more about current projects and how to help, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Delivering a Box

Dexcom to Launch Patient Assistance Program to Support Type 1 Diabetes Care

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) does not take a break for a global pandemic, or for anything else. It is a chronic health condition that must be managed 24/7/365. Access to affordable medical and testing supplies is critical for patients. With unemployment skyrocketing as an effect of the coronavirus outbreak, many people have lost their employer-provided healthcare. Without insurance (or income from a steady job), paying for diabetes supplies can become difficult.

In an effort to better support individuals impacted by the loss of insurance due to COVID-19, Dexcom is launching a patient assistance program. The program will provide eligible participants with “two 90-day supply shipments, with each dispatch including one transmitter and three boxes of sensors at just $45 per 90-day shipment” according to the organization.

This will allow patients to continue following their normal management routine without fear of how they will afford their CGM supplies. The program will be rolled out over the next few weeks and last through the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. residents who receive state or federal assistance through programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, or VA benefits are not eligible to participate.

Dexcom’s patient assistance program is just one more example of businesses stepping up to support individuals during this time of need. In recent weeks, pharmaceutical companies have also been providing assistance by reducing or limiting out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is glad to see that individuals with T1D are receiving support to ensure their needs are met and their health is effectively managed during these challenging times. Until a cure for diabetes is found, the need for insulin and continuous glucose monitors remains a priority.

DRC continues to work toward finding a cure and improving treatment options by providing critical funding to early-career scientists. Learn more about current projects and how to help by visiting https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Diabetes Researching

Targeting Stem Cell-Generated Beta Cells for Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

In developing more effective treatment methods for type 1 diabetes, several approaches have targeted the disease at a cellular level. Scientists know that, on the most basic level, the disease stems from the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. However, they are unsure exactly what causes the body to mistakenly attack and destroy these cells. There have been many studies looking at how to reintroduce or stimulate these beta cells within the body in order to produce insulin naturally, but this is a difficult process and one that is hard to sustain.

A recent study may have found a way to improve the number and quality of beta cells produced for cell replacement therapy. The differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into targeted beta cells is a long, complex process that can take weeks. Even after the process is finished, there is an assortment of cells that have been produced because not all cells differentiate as desired. In addition, not all beta cells are fully functional.

Researchers found that by adding CD77, a monoclonal antibody, they can better control the differentiation of cells into specific pancreatic progenitors. Having these pancreatic progenitors present at the start of the differentiation process may lead to higher quality beta cells that are more responsive to glucose and have improved insulin secretion abilities. In addition, it may help direct differentiation meaning a more homogenous group of cells is created, which is beneficial for cell replacement therapy. Having more of the desired type of cell can also save time and money.

Being able to better control the differentiation process may improve beta cell replacement therapy options for individuals with type 1 diabetes. Developing ways for the body to once again generate its own insulin and manage blood glucose levels could change the way the disease is managed. This study was a partnership between Helmholtz Zentrum München, the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Technical University of Munich (TUM), and Miltenyi Biotec.

Though not involved with this study, the Diabetes Research Connection stays abreast of the latest advancements in the field and how emerging research may impact the diagnosis, treatment, and management of type 1 diabetes, as well as the search for a cure. As more about the disease is understood, researchers can build on this information. The DRC provides critical funding for early-career scientists whose research is focused on type 1 diabetes. To learn more and support these efforts, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Vitamin D

Could Vitamin D Help Protect Against Type 1 Diabetes?

One trend that researchers have noticed in type 1 diabetes (T1D) is that individuals with this disease tend to have some level of vitamin D deficiency. This impacts vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression, which may contribute to the development of diabetes.

A recent study found that higher levels of VDR may actually protect insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells and preserve some of their mass and function. They also found that as circulating glucose levels decreased, so did VDR levels. Maintaining a stable level of vitamin D may help counteract the disease.

Researchers are investigating the potential effectiveness of using vitamin D supplements as a prevention and treatment strategy for type 1 diabetes, and it may be beneficial for type 2 diabetes as well. They need to develop a clearer understanding of the negative regulation of VDR in individuals with the disease and how to improve VDR levels to a point where they would be more protective.

This study was conducted on mouse models, so it would need to be tested in humans as well to see if the same findings are true. However, this could be a step toward proactively reducing risk of T1D and protecting insulin-producing beta-cell function and mass. Researchers are continuing to learn more about VDR expression and its relationship to diabetes.

Diabetes Research Connection, though not involved with this study, is committed to supporting early-career scientists pursuing novel research on type 1 diabetes in order to expand the body of knowledge and help prevent or cure the disease in addition to reducing complications and improving quality of life for those living with the disease. Scientists are learning more every day. To support these efforts and find out more about current projects, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Drone

Supporting Diabetes Management Via Drone

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects people from all walks of life around the world. A challenge in managing the disease is regular access to healthcare and necessary supplies. Healthcare providers in Ireland recognized the impact of this problem even more when natural disasters such as snowstorms, hurricanes, and flooding made it difficult for patients to reach clinics for their appointments or to get medications.

As a result, researchers turned to technology as a way to potentially help patients receive the care they need. They spent more than a year working out the logistics and regulatory compliance of using drones to deliver supplies to individuals in remote areas or those cut off from access following natural disasters or other incidents such as COVID-19. The researchers had to ensure that when using the drone, they were following all aviation and aerospace regulations, as well as medical and safety regulations.

The first flight traveled around 20 km each way going from Galway, Ireland, to the Aran Islands on September 13. The Wingcopter 178 drone delivered insulin from a pharmacy to a patient’s clinician and picked up a blood sample for remote testing of HbA1c levels. This test flight demonstrated that autonomous delivery of insulin is possible.

There was a significant amount of planning, research, and collaboration that went into making the drone delivery possible, but it is a starting point for making this technology available in healthcare. The researchers needed to have backup plans in place for each step of the process, and they worked closely with a multidisciplinary team including aviation and medication regulators.

However, this successful test flight is a stepping stone toward making drone delivery a reality for patients with diabetes. This could allow patients to continue receiving life-saving insulin and other supplies even when they are unable to make it out of their home. Diabetes does not take a break during pandemics or adverse events, and there are patients who live in rural communities where access to healthcare is a challenge.

Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is excited to see how technology continues to improve and whether drone delivery becomes a feasible option as part of diabetes management and healthcare in general. The DRC provides funding for novel, peer-reviewed research studies focused on the prevention, cure, and improved management of type 1 diabetes. To learn more and support these efforts, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Diabetes Researching

Could There Be More than One Form of Type 1 Diabetes?

Researchers know that there are significant differences between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), but now they are digging a little deeper. When it comes to T1D, the disease may not affect everyone in the same way. According to a recent study, there may be more than one endotype, and a major differentiator could be age of diagnosis.

The study looked at a small sample of 19 children diagnosed with T1D within the past two years and compared age of diagnosis against amount of beta cell destruction and levels of proinsulin and C-peptides. They also compared these ratios in a group of 171 adults with T1D based on their age of diagnosis. Their results showed that children who were diagnosed before the age of 7 had much higher levels of proinsulin-insulin co-localization than those diagnosed after age 13. Individuals between ages 7 and 13 were divided and fell into one group or the other.

The researchers also compared results against CD20Hi and CD20Lo immune profile designations for each participant. Children age 7 or younger tended to be CD20Hi, while those age 13 or older were CD20Lo, and the children in between were aligned with their respective groups based on whether they were CD20Hi or CD20Lo.

These differences in proinsulin and C-peptide concentrations demonstrate a distinction in how individuals are impacted by T1D, leading to at least two separate endotypes. Understanding whether an individual has T1D endotype 1 (T1DE1) or T1D endotype 2 (T1DE2) could enable more targeted and effective treatment of the disease based on how each group responds. Individuals with T1DE1 are identified as having higher levels of beta cell loss, therefore may have more difficulty regulating blood glucose. Those with T1DE2 may retain more beta cells, and determining ways to activate and protect these cells could support improved natural insulin production.

Recognizing that T1D affects people differently is a step in the right direction toward more personalized medicine and targeted therapies. Therapeutic trials could be aimed at groups depending on age of diagnosis and specific endotype in the future as larger studies are conducted to determine the significance of these findings.

Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is committed to supporting advances in research around type 1 diabetes and provides early-career scientists with critical funding for their studies. Research is focused on preventing and curing type 1 diabetes, minimizing complications, and improving quality of life for those living with the disease. Learn more and support these efforts by visiting https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Girl on Phone

Artificial Pancreas App Supports Type 1 Diabetes Management

Maintaining good glycemic control is challenging when living with type 1 diabetes. Individuals must carefully monitor their blood glucose levels throughout the day, then administer the appropriate amount of insulin to try to stay within target range. This can be more difficult than it sounds. Furthermore, many people with type 1 diabetes struggle with their blood sugar dropping overnight while they are asleep.

Patients living in the UK may have access to a new artificial pancreas app that takes away some of the stress and burden of constant blood sugar management. The CamAPS FX app works in conjunction with the Dana RS insulin pump and the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor. Using a complex algorithm, the app tracks blood glucose levels, then automatically adjusts insulin administration accordingly. This reduces the demand for regular finger sticks to check blood sugar, and patients do not need to calculate how much insulin they require on their own.

The app has been approved in the UK for individuals age one and older, including pregnant women, who have type 1 diabetes. It was developed based on 13 years of clinical research conducted by Professor Roman Hovorka from the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and his team at the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science. In addition, data from the app can be shared with patients’ healthcare teams allowing them to provide more personalized diabetes care.

Technology has made some significant advancements in type 1 diabetes care, and this is one more example of how it can impact management of the disease and improve health outcomes. Artificial pancreas technology is an area that researchers have been focused on improving over the years in order to give patients more options and reduce the burden of managing the disease.

Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is excited to see more results from use of the app and what it could mean for future diabetes management, not just in the UK but around the world. Currently the app is only available to patients at select diabetes clinics in the UK. Though not involved with this project, the DRC is committed to advancing diabetes research to help prevent and cure type 1 diabetes, minimize complications, and improve quality of life for those living with the disease. Early-career scientists can receive up to $50K in funding to support novel, peer-reviewed research projects. To learn more about current studies and contribute to these efforts, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Zoom Call Doctor Pandemic

Using Telehealth to Enhance Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Management

Telehealth has come a long way in improving access to care. It has become even easier for patients to connect with healthcare providers without going to their office. Using available technology, a recent study out of the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) examined whether management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in pediatric patients could be improved through telehealth.

Fifty-seven patients under the age of 18 participated in the study where they were connected with a member of the research team every four, six, or eight weeks via video conference for at least one year. This was in addition to quarterly clinic visits. All of the patients had suboptimal glycemic control before the study began, and most lived at least 30 miles away from the hospital.

The program was led by Stephanie Crossen, a pediatric endocrinologist at UC Davis Health. Prior to each video call, patients sent data from their diabetes devices for Crossen and her team to review. After one year, their findings showed that “83 percent of participants completed four or more diabetes visits within a year, compared to only 21 percent prior to the study,” and “mean HbA1c decreased from 10.8 to 9.6 among participants who completed the full year.”

In addition, 93 percent of participants were highly satisfied with the program, and more participants were using technology such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). However, one area that did not change significantly was the number of diabetes-related emergency room or hospital visits.

Still, the study shows that telehealth could be a valuable intervention for children and youth with type 1 diabetes to help them better manage their disease and health outcomes. A reduction in HbA1c levels and an increase in frequency of care is encouraging. Telehealth may be one more tool for effectively supporting individuals with T1D.

Research continues to advance the understanding, treatment, and management of T1D. Though not involved with this study, the Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) supports these efforts as well by providing critical funding to early-career scientists studying the disease.  Researchers can receive up to $50K for novel, peer-reviewed projects aimed at preventing or curing type 1 diabetes, minimizing its complications, and improving quality of life for individuals living with the disease. Click to learn more about current projects and provide support.

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Connect For A Cure: June 2020 Newsletter

The importance of research has been highlighted during this pandemic and our early-career scientists continue their ground-breaking, peer-reviewed research. Since November, we’ve funded 8 new research projects. Thank you for your support and for being a part of the DRC community.

Click on the link below to read more about what we’ve been up to and the impact we are making together. It takes a community to connect for a cure!

June 2020 Newsletter

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OUR PROJECTS

See our approved research projects and campaigns.

Role of the integrated stress response in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis
In individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the insulin-producing beta cells are spontaneously destroyed by their own immune system. The trigger that provokes the immune system to destroy the beta cells is unknown. However, accumulating evidence suggest that signals are perhaps first sent out by the stressed beta cells that eventually attracts the immune cells. Stressed cells adapt different stress mitigation systems as an adaptive response. However, when these adaptive responses go awry, it results in cell death. One of the stress response mechanisms, namely the integrated stress response (ISR) is activated under a variety of stressful stimuli to promote cell survival. However, when ISR is chronically activated, it can be damaging to the cells and can lead to cell death. The role of the ISR in the context of T1D is unknown. Therefore, in this DRC funded study, we propose to study the ISR in the beta cells to determine its role in propagating T1D.
Wearable Skin Fluorescence Imaging Patch for the Detection of Blood Glucose Level on an Engineered Skin Platform
zhang
A Potential Second Cure for T1D by Re-Educating the Patient’s Immune System
L Ferreira
Validating the Hypothesis to Cure T1D by Eliminating the Rejection of Cells From Another Person by Farming Beta Cells From a Patient’s Own Stem Cells
Han Zhu
Taming a Particularly Lethal Category of Cells May Reduce/Eliminate the Onset of T1D
JRDwyer 2022 Lab 1
Can the Inhibition of One Specific Body Gene Prevent Type 1 Diabetes?
Melanie
Is Cholesterol Exacerbating T1D by Reducing the Functionality and Regeneration Ability of Residual Beta Cells?
Regeneration Ability of Residual Beta Cells
A Call to Question… Is T1D Caused by Dysfunctionality of Two Pancreatic Cells (β and α)?
Xin Tong
Novel therapy initiative with potential path to preventing T1D by targeting TWO components of T1D development (autoimmune response and beta-cell survival)
flavia pecanha