Program areas at DRIF
The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation funds basic, pre-clinical and patient-based research studies, including five Phase I/II clinical studies, several of which are simultaneously underway at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI), with the others pending commencement. The ongoing 'islets in the omentum' BioHub trial was the first step in testing the safety and efficacy of insulin-producing cells transplanted within a tissue-engineered platform in a different site than the liver, the traditional transplant site. Foundation funding has allowed the DRIs clinical cell transplant team to contact and screen more than 1,200 candidates for this innovative pilot trial, several of whom were selected and placed on the waiting list to undergo the procedure pending the availability of a matching donor organ. Other alternative transplant sites continue to be explored. DRIF funding also supports the continued follow-up and care of the DRIs islet transplant patients who have participated in previous clinical trials. Many of these have remained insulin independent for a varying number of years. This past year, DRI presented data showing that their islet transplant patients who were still free from insulin for an average of 10 years had near-normal blood sugar levels, similar to those without diabetes. DRIF has also funded DRI research projects that focus on establishing immune tolerance and reversing autoimmunity, the bodys destruction of the insulin-producing cells which caused the onset of the disease. Several of the clinical trials address these challenges while other research earlier in the pipeline remains underway. Another major research area that DRIF supports is the development of an unlimited supply of insulin-producing cells. DRIF-funded studies have led to significant progress in stimulating the regeneration of pancreatic stem cells into insulin-producing cells using a single FDA-approved molecule. This significant finding opens to door to a natural cell supply bank within the patients body, addressing several ongoing challenges for curing the disease. The DRIF has funded international researcher training and key collaborative programs that help accelerate research progress through the sharing of ideas and advancements. Also, DRIF-funded research equipment was used in a Phase III multi-center clinical islet transplantation trial. The resulting data demonstrated that islet transplantation is effective in preventing severe hypoglycemia dangerously low blood sugar levels which represents a particularly feared complication in type 1 diabetes that can lead to seizures, loss of consciousness and even death. Importantly, the results of this Phase III trial pave the way for islet transplantation to become an FDA-approved treatment for patients with diabetes and one that would be eligible for insurance reimbursement. Key funded research areas include cell-based therapies for islet replacement, immune tolerance, immune regulation, regenerative medicine, and stem cell research, among others, to restore biological insulin production. Together with other diabetes advocacy organizations, the DRIF has appeared before Congress to request increased funding for diabetes research, and has made recommendations on the future direction of research appropriations. DRIF also hosts and participates in a variety of informational workshops for people with diabetes and their families focusing on the latest advances toward a cure and the newest diabetes management techniques. Through its website DiabetesResearch.org, the DRIF provides 'news you can useresearch updates for those living with diabetes and their family members in the form of e-newsletters, videos, email announcements and information via social media.
Community Diabetes Education. The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation provides information to the public via its website literature, speakers and hosting an annual diabetes research conference, print interviews and toll free number 800-321-3437. The public gains knowledge about diabetes, diabetes care and research towards finding a cure for diabetes.