Diabetes Research

Diabetes is a problem that affects so many people, both in the U.S. and worldwide, surprisingly, however, very little is known about the disease.

There are a number of organizations that are researching exactly what causes diabetes, as well new and better methods for controlling it, monitoring blood sugar levels, getting insulin into the blood, newer medicines to correct the problems and even how to stop it before it starts.

There are numerous groups and organizations involved in research such as the FDA, the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, or DAREF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Diabetes Research Institute and the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation and many, many others, in the United States, Great Britain, Australia and many other countries.

The organizations, such as the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which fund research programs for diabetes in the hopes of finding a cure, as well as finding information that leads to the prevention and better treatment of diabetes.

In fact, the ADA spends approximately $50 million per year on diabetes research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also conducts diabetes research, and often the two organizations work together.

Researchers  are typically looking at things such as genetics, immunology, and islet cell biology in the search for better treatment and a cure for diabetes. Research has also discovered that smoking increases the risk of hypoglycemia if you have Type 1 diabetes.

Some of the research being done includes :

• A vaccination against the autoimmune response that causes type 1 diabetes. Testing is currently being carried out on animals.

• Genetic engineering to make liver cells that produce insulin. Although insulin is produced there is no internal control mechanism as there is with the pancreas, so the insulin levels from such cells remains constant regardless of the body’s requirement for this hormone.

• Stem cells are the very basic building blocks of the human body and have the ability to develop into any kind of cell. It is possible that researchers will find a way to use stem cells to make insulin producing cells to replace those that have been damaged by the autoimmune problem that causes type 1 diabetes.

• Immunoassay for type 1 diabetes.

• The impact of exercise training for those with diabetes.

• A recent report that transplanted pig cells have been successful in reversing diabetes in test monkeys.

• Arterial issues.

• Enhancing the cell survival of important agents in diabetes.

• A type 1 diabetes medication that helps the beta cells in the pancreas to live longer, the loss of the beta cells is one thoughts of causes of type 1 diabetes, is currently underway by the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation (DAREF) that may prove to help patients create insulin on their own, thus reducing the dependence on outside sources of insulin

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