As we inch toward the end of 2011, a look back over the past few months shows a great deal of progress in JDRF’s efforts toward curing, treating, and preventing type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications. Check out the latest key advances from the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 (July through September 2011) in the “Research” section of jdrf.org by clicking on each of the “Cure,” “Treat,” and “Prevent” areas and scrolling to the bottom of each page for a breakdown of progress throughout the months; progress we regularly update to keep you abreast of the latest developments in the fight against T1D.
Part of JDRF’s efforts to cure T1D is through its support of research to better understand the process that leads to the misguided immune attack on beta cells, and to discover potential therapies to intervene at every stage of the disease. Read the latest in immune research here. Another area within JDRF’s efforts to cure T1D is focused on developing drugs that could regenerate beta cells, potentially restoring their function in people with T1D. For the latest in regeneration research, click here. The third area of focus toward curing T1D is the replacement of beta cells. This is possible through either whole pancreas or islet transplantation. Yet transplantation comes with its obstacles, given the lack of sufficient donors and the need for chronic immunosuppression, which comes with significant side effects. Replacement research explores potential solutions to these obstacles, such as encapsulation (shielding beta cells from attack) and beta cell imaging. Read about the latest developments in replacement research here.
JDRF is also working toward treating T1D and its complications, to improve the lives and health of people at every age and every stage of the disease. One main focus has been the development of an artificial pancreas—a device that would combine a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump, which could help to improve blood sugar control and even save lives. The past few months have yielded many key advancements in artificial pancreas development; read about them here. Glucose control therapy research is another main area within efforts to treat T1D. The development of ultra-fast insulin and insulin that responds to glucose levels (glucose-responsive insulin), the improvement of insulin delivery, exploration of the role of hormones in controlling glucose levels, and other novel therapies comprise this important area of research. Read the latest advancements in glucose control therapy research here. Complications of T1D are a major concern to people with the disease, which is why JDRF’s complications prevention research is another main area within efforts to treat T1D. Diabetic eye disease, one of the many devastating complications that can arise in someone with T1D, is another focus that has seen advancements over the past few months. Read about the latest efforts to target those people most at risk for developing diabetic eye disease, and where research has brought us today.
The third key area of research that JDRF supports is aimed at discovering possible ways to prevent T1D. Prevention would represent a cure for people identified as at risk for developing T1D, and could have a significant impact on the increasing incidence of the disease. Recent studies have increased our understanding of how T1D develops, have improved our ability to screen for the risk of developing T1D, and are paving the way toward developing therapeutic interventions to preserve residual beta cell function in recent onset T1D, and now in people identified as at risk. Read about the latest in prevention research here.
As we make our way into the new year, JDRF is encouraged by developments from recent months in the areas of curing, treating, and preventing T1D, and we are excited to continue to share with you the latest in research progress. We hope you continue to stay tuned and informed!