Research Scientists
This year we have had the pleasure of providing Dr. Fraser Scott with $5,000 to help local Research Scientists develop a network for the sharing of information and review of important research strategies and findings. We have also provided Dr. Johnathan Smid, Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research with $10,000 to assist in his exciting new research (see below for more details)
In just under 5 years, we have given $145,000 to local research initiatives. This would not have been possible without your generous financial support. We are very excited to report back to you that we are making a difference for our local scientists as they strive to find a cure for this disease!
A message from Dr. Fraser Scott (funding recipient 2005, 2010)
Much of last year has been taken up with grant writing and publishing papers. We published or were co-authors on six papers in 2009 and three are published in 2010 so far. We continue to investigate the involvement of the gut immune system in T1D (Type 1 Diabetes). We had a paper published last year in Diabetes on the T cell stimulation by wheat peptides. Approximately half of our T1D patients displayed abnormally high immune reactions to wheat peptides and this was associated with a major diabetes risk gene (not related to the major celiac risk gene). The paper was the subject of an invited editorial commentary. I have been instrumental in organizing several local researchers and physicians to submit three grants in response to a request for applications from JDRF to establish a clinical trial network core here at the Foustanellas Centre. Two clinical trials were also proposed. Our animal studies continue to support a major role for the gut immune system in development of T1D as do the results of our human study. A message from Dr. Michael Rudnicki & Dr. Johnathan Smid (funding recipients 2005-2008, 2010)
Diabetes is a devastating disease that affects more than 150 million people worldwide. It is caused by the loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, which leads to problems regulating blood sugar. Regenerative medicine represents a promising approach for treating diabetes, as it has the potential to restore the lost beta cells.
Many laboratories are trying to coax stem cells in the laboratory into developing into pancreatic tissue that could be used for transplantation. Others are investigating ways to stimulate the stem cells that already exist within the body to produce new beta cells.
In a new project, Dr. Michael Rudnicki and his team identified a gene called Periostin to be highly induced during pancreas regeneration. Cloning and sequencing revealed that the pancreatic Periostin protein is a novel form that has not been previously described. Strikingly, the Rudnicki lab found that mice lacking Periostin were unable to regenerate their pancreas. They also demonstrated that direct injection of Periostin protein resulted in the generation of dividing pancreatic progenitors that subsequently gave rise to new insulin-expressing beta cells. Introduction of Periostin also reduced blood sugar levels in diabetic mice. The Rudnicki lab has made an important discovery that represents a potentially important new therapeutic approach for the treatment of Type-1 Diabetes.