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Search for new treatments - Previously Funded

Dr. Colin Anderson (Operating Grant funded 2009-2012)

University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)

Title: Defining the barrier of split tolerance in islet transplantation

Dr. Colin Anderson is studying ways of preventing rejection of donor islet cells in transplant recipients. Dr. Anderson's research may lead to the removal of a major road-block (islet rejection) to the widespread application of transplantation as a treatment option for people with type 1 diabetes.

 

Dr. Patricia L. Brubaker (Operating Grant funded 2007-2010)

University of Toronto (Toronto, ON)

Title: Secretion of the insulinotropic hormone glucagon-like peptide-1

Dr. Patricia L. Brubaker was studying how the gut releases a hormone (called GLP-1) that secretes insulin into the body. Dr. Brubaker's research could help lead to a better understanding of how GLP-1 works and, in turn, lead to new ways of treating people with type 2 diabetes.

 

Dr. Réjean Couture (Operating Grant funded 2007-2010)

University of Montreal (Montréal, QC)

Title: The pathophysiological role of kinin B1 and B2 receptors in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Dr. Réjean Couture was studying the role of protein receptors (called bradykinin receptors) in the development of diabetes-related complications (such as painful nerve damage). Bradykinin receptors are normally absent in healthy subjects, but found in large quantities in rats with diabetes. Dr. Couture's research could help to find a new way of treating diabetes-related complications.

 

Dr. Savita Dhanvantari (Operating Grant funded 2007-2009)

Lawson Health Research Institute (London, ON)

Title: Functional molecular imaging of the beta cell

Dr. Savita Dhanvantari was developing new treatments for producing more insulin-producing cells (called islet cell regeneration). Although islet cell transplantation is currently the only way to stop type 1 diabetes, Dr. Dhanvantari's research could help lead to another possible way to treat type 1 diabetes through islet cell regeneration.

 

Dr. Daniel J. Drucker (Operating Grant funded 2008-2011)

Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto, ON)

Title: Incretin hormones, diabetes and skeletal health

Dr. Daniel J. Drucker is studying whether newer types of anti-diabetes drugs may stabilize or improve bone density or bone strength. This is important because some drugs place people at risk for broken bones, especially in older women. Dr. Drucker's research will study these new drugs to find out their effects on bone.

 

Dr. Stephanie E. Fulton (Operating Grant funded 2009-2011)

Centre de Recherche-CHUM (Montréal, QC)

Title: The role of neural mechanisms of food reward and their contribution to appetite and obesity

Dr. Stephanie Fulton is studying the specific impact of certain nutrients on the brain. Chronic intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods are associated with changes in the brain which may contribute to overeating. Dr. Fulton's research on how certain nutrients affect the brain may lead to novel treatments for overeating, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

 

Dr. Carol T. L. Huang (Operating Grant funded 2007-2010)

University of Calgary (Calgary, AB)

Title: Regulation of beta cell proliferation and survival by prolactin

Dr. Carol Tzu-Ling Huang was studying whether the pregnancy hormone prolactin is responsible for the increase in the number of insulin-producing beta-cells in pregnant women. Dr. Huang's research could help lead to the possibility of using prolactin in people with diabetes who have received transplanted islet cells in order to increase islet cell numbers.

 

Dr. Hélène Jacques (Operating Grant funded 2009-2012)

Universite Laval (Ste-Foy, PQ)

Title: Assessment of cod protein as an insulin-sensitizing agent in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Dr. Hélène Jacques is studying the effects of a fish protein diet on insulin sensitivity, sex hormones and menstrual cycle regularity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS are at high risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes. Dr. Jacques' research could shed light on a natural and safe alternative (a fish protein diet) to improving insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS.

 

Dr. Alexandra Jenkins (Operating Grant funded 2010-2012)

St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto, ON)

Salba (Salvia hispanica L.) on weight-loss in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes

Dr. Alexandra L. Jenkins is studying a potential diet therapy to control obesity. She will study if a healthy diet supplemented with the whole grain Salba (Salvia Hispanica L.) is superior to the same diet supplemented with oat bran. Dr. Jenkins hopes that Salba could provide an addition to diet therapy to control obesity.

 

Dr. Timothy J. Kieffer (Operating Grant funded 2007-2010)

University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

Title: Pancreatic alpha-cells and diabetes

Dr. Timothy J. Kieffer was developing new ways of accurately tracking the number of alpha cells (which produce glucagon) and beta cells (which produce insulin) during the progression to diabetes. Currently, there is no way to track the numbers of these cells. Dr. Kieffer's research could help overcome these limitations, ultimately leading to the development of new therapeutic ways to restore healthy cells in people with diabetes.

 

Dr. Christopher H. S. McIntosh (Operating Grant funded 2008-2011)

University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

Title: Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and the adipocyle: Physiology and pathophysiology

Dr. Christopher H.S. McIntosh is studying the long-term effects of two new types of anti-diabetes drugs (called incretin mimetics) on the levels of a hormone (called GIP) which regulates the breakdown of fat. Too much food may excessively increase levels of GIP in the blood, leading to obesity. Dr. McIntosh wants to study the long-term effects of high levels of GIP in order to learn more about the possible long-term effects of treatment with incretin mimetics.

 

Dr. Gérald Prud'homme (Operating Grant funded 2007-2009)

St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto, ON)

Title: DNA vaccination against autoimmune diabetes

Type 1 diabetes develops because the body's immune system attacks its own cells by mistake. Dr. Prud'homme is working to design and test a preventative vaccination. Finding a way to prevent the body's attack on its insulin-producing islet cells could help to prevent type 1 diabetes in people at high risk. It could also protect against rejection in people who have had islet transplants.

 

Dr. Gina Rayat (Scholar Award funded 2005-2010)

University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)

Title: Immune cell interactions resulting to rejection or protection of newborn pig islet xenografts in mice

The shortage of human islets is the major limiting factor to the widespread application of islet transplantation. One solution is to use newborn pig islets. Dr. Rayat is trying to understand how newborn pig islets are destroyed by immune cells and how to protect them. This research may lead to the availability of islet transplantation for all people with diabetes.

 

Dr. Fraser W. Scott (Operating Grant funded 2009-2012)

Ottawa Health Research Inst. (Ottawa, ON)

Title: Endogeneous formation of beta-cells in spontaneous diabetes-prone rats: role of diet and trophic factors on beta-cell cycle and immune status

Dr. Fraser Scott is studying whether feeding diabetes-prone rats a diabetes-protective diet will stimulate the growth of insulin-producing cells and dampen the body's autoimmune response that destroys beta cells. These studies may lead to important insights into the processes that occur in the development of type 1 diabetes.

 

Dr. Damu Tang (Operating Grant funded 2008-2010)

McMaster University (Hamilton, ON)

Title: Investigating RL-HSD mediated inhibition of SREBP signaling

Dr. Damu Tang was examining how a protein called RL-HSD plays a role in controlling the levels of fat in the blood. High levels of fat in the blood is a major cause of type 2 diabetes. Dr. Tang's research could help lead to new ways of treating or preventing type 2 diabetes.

 

Dr. C. Bruce Verchere (Operating Grant funded 2008-2011)

University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

Title: Islet amyloid and islet transplant failure

Islet transplant is a promising way to treat type 1 diabetes. However, the number of transplants is limited by a low number of donors and loss of beta cells before, during and after transplant.  A substance called islet amyloid forms quickly in transplanted  islets and may cause beta-cell death. Dr. Verchere will explore whether blocking amyloid protects beta cells. These studies may lead to a new way to improve beta-cell survival in transplants.

 

Dr. Vladimir Vuksan (Operating Grant funded 2009-2011)

St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto, ON)

Title: Efficacy and safety of combined American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius) and Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A, Mayer) as poly-therapy in treatment of concomitant hypertension in type 2 diabetes-long term RCT

Dr. Vladimir Vuksan is studying whether adding American Ginseng and Korean Red Ginseng to conventional medical treatment is safe and effective in the management of high blood pressure while managing diabetes. If this combination therapy proves beneficial, it could provide a safe, effective and appealing addition to conventional treatments for individuals with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

 

Dr. Rennian Wang (Operating Grant funded 2008-2011)

University of Western Ontario (London, ON)

Title: Role of SOX genes in the developing human fetal pancreas

Dr. Rennian Wang is studying the role of a family of proteins called SOX in the growth and development of insulin-producing cells. Dr. Wang's research may help identify new ways of growing new insulin-secreting cells in order to treat diabetes.

 

Dr. Garth L. Warnock (Operating Grant funded 2010-2012)

University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

Title: Inhibition of human islet allograft rejection by B7-H4 in a novel, humanized T1D NOD mouse model

One way to restore insulin production in type 1 diabetes is to transplant insulin-producing cells. However, this requires lifelong immune suppression to prevent the immune system from rejecting the transplanted cells. This immune suppression has several side effects. Dr. Garth L. Warnock is examining a potential drug that stops transplant rejection without many of the side effects. He is examining this potential drug in mice with type 1 diabetes in order to determine if it is a safe alternative to current anti-rejection drugs.

 

Dr. James R. Woodgett (Operating Grant funded 2007-2010)

Samuel Lunenfield Res. Inst. (Toronto, ON)

Title: Characterisation of the tissue-and isoform-specific roles of glycogen synthase kinase 3 in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Dr. James R. Woodgett was studying the role of an enzyme (called GSK-3), normally switched off by insulin, in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Dr. Woodgett's research could help lead to a better understanding of how GSK-3 works and whether blocking it may be a useful treatment for type 2 diabetes.

 

Dr. Yang Yang (Operating Grant funded 2009-2012)

University of Calgary (Calgary, AB)

Title: The role of PD-L1 signal in tolerogenic differentiation of dendritic cells

Dr. Yang Yang is studying how to protect transplanted islet cells from being killed by the body's own immune system (specifically by dendritic cells) in people with type 1 diabetes. Dr. Yang's research may help develop clinical approaches for the protection of transplanted islet cells from autoimmune or other immune attacks.

 

Currently Funded