£2.7 Million Grants Announced for Type 1 Diabetes Research

August 22, 2024

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, supported by the Steve Morgan Foundation, Diabetes UK, and JDRF, awarded over £2.7 million to various research projects, on August 12, 2024. These funds aim to create advanced insulin therapies that better manage type 1 diabetes by mimicking how a healthy pancreas functions.

Understanding Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels. Without enough insulin, glucose (sugar) builds up in the bloodstream, leading to dangerously high blood sugar levels. People with type 1 diabetes must regularly inject insulin to keep their blood sugar under control.

Overview of the Grants

The funding supports six global research projects focused on developing new types of insulin. These projects aim to tackle some of the biggest challenges in current insulin treatments, such as preventing blood sugar from going too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia), by creating innovative ways to deliver insulin.

Glucose Responsive Insulins (GRIs)

Four of the funded projects are working on developing GRIs, a type of insulin that activates only when blood sugar levels reach a certain point. These GRIs could help keep blood sugar more stable, reducing the risk of dangerous highs and lows. Research on these insulins is being conducted at universities in Australia, the US, and China.

Project Highlights

Monash University (Australia): They are developing a new insulin system that uses tiny particles to automatically release insulin based on blood sugar levels.

Wayne State University (USA): This team is working on a “smart insulin” that adjusts more accurately to changes in blood sugar.

Jinhua Institute (China): Researchers here are creating an insulin that forms a small reservoir under the skin, allowing for flexible and immediate insulin delivery when needed.

University of Notre Dame (USA): This project involves a smart delivery system that uses tiny complexes to release insulin automatically when blood sugar levels rise.

Ultrafast Insulin Development

At Stanford University, scientists are exploring a new type of insulin that works very quickly and activates only when necessary. This insulin is inspired by the cone snail’s venom, which acts fast to paralyze prey and could reduce the risk of extreme changes in blood sugar.

Insulin and Glucagon Combination

Indiana University researchers are developing a combined insulin and glucagon therapy. Glucagon is another hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. By combining these two, the treatment could better control blood sugar levels and reduce the chances of hypoglycemia, keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day. These groundbreaking research projects represent significant progress in the search for better diabetes management. They offer hope for improving the lives of people with type 1 diabetes by potentially transforming how insulin is delivered and managed.

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