New research could help in fight against Type 1 diabetes

Type I diabetes can be controlled by transplanting insulin-producing cells (islets) into the liver. If not rejected, the cells sense glucose levels and secrete insulin into the bloodstream to break it down. The downside of this is that the patient has to take drugs to suppress their immune systems to prevent rejection, and there can be dangerous side effects associated with this, making it unsuitable for children in particular.
Dr Klearchos Papas, Departments of Surgery and Medical Imaging at the University Of Arizona College Of Medicine, and his team have spent the last twenty years researching an alternative solution, and have partnered with Novo Nordisk and other researchers across the world to come up with something that could be implanted under the skin of the arm or back. Their solution requires keeping the islet cells alive inside an implantable, porous container made of a silicone-based organic polymer, polydimethylsiloxane. Dr Papas said: “It’s like a tea bag. The tea leaves stay inside but tea, or insulin, comes out. And the tea bag keeps out the immune cells that would normally attack the islets. The unique thing we bring to the table is the combination of an optimised tea bag with its own oxygen supply. Islets are happier with an oxygen supply. They survive and function better and this has been overlooked in the past. This is not pie-in-the-sky crazy science. We believe, engineering-wise, it is achievable. The cells and the biology were the difficult part and they have come a long way in the past five years.” The small battery-powered oxygen generator the team has developed could be recharged wirelessly via an induction technique.
Robert Robbins, president of the University of Arizona, said: “This is an incredible example of the kind of innovative and collaborative research that is taking place on the UA campus that has only recently become possible with the convergence of the physical, biological and digital worlds. The work that Dr. Papas and his team are doing to help children with diabetes is a great example of using new technology to significantly improve quality of life for patients.”