Gestational diabetes is an important medical condition. We plan to investigate two subgroups of women with gestational diabetes. Firstly, women who have diabetes antibodies in pregnancy. Secondly, women who have a mild form of diabetes caused by a single gene mutation, who may be first identified during pregnancy. Correct identification of these subgroups of women is important for immediate and long-term management of both the mother and her fetus.
Development Of A Multi-faceted Diagnostic And Predictive Tool To Characterise Type Of Diabetes, Therapeutic Progression And Outcome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$352,550.00
Summary
Diabetes is diagnosed using clinical assessment complemented by a few selected basic conventional laboratory tests. We plan to determine, in a representative community-based sample of Australian with diabetes, whether additional knowledge of genetic markers, diabetes-related antibody levels and tests of insulin secretory capacity adds to diagnosis of diabetes type, prediction of therapeutic progression over time, complications and death.
Correction Of Diabetes In An Autoimmune Model Using Insulin-secreting Liver Cells.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$472,500.00
Summary
Type I diabetes mellitus is caused by the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin. The problems of the chronic complications of diabetes and the lack of donor tissue for transplantation, could theoretically be overcome by engineering from the patient's own cells, an artificial beta cell, i. e. a non-islet cell capable of synthesising, storing and secreting mature insulin in response to metabolic stimuli, such as glucose. The ultimate goal of this technology ....Type I diabetes mellitus is caused by the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin. The problems of the chronic complications of diabetes and the lack of donor tissue for transplantation, could theoretically be overcome by engineering from the patient's own cells, an artificial beta cell, i. e. a non-islet cell capable of synthesising, storing and secreting mature insulin in response to metabolic stimuli, such as glucose. The ultimate goal of this technology is to deliver the insulin gene directly to a patient's own liver cells which would regulate insulin secretion in response to glucose and other substances that stimulate insulin secretion, controlling blood glucose without the need for immunosuppression. To accomplish this it must be possible to deliver the insulin gene efficiently to primary liver cells (cells derived from an animal's or human's body). Results from our laboratory using a non-pathogenic viral delivery system indicate that we can reverse diabetes in chemically induced diabetic rats by expression of insulin and a beta cell transcription factor NeuroD. The aim of this study is to repeat this in an auto-immune model of diabetes the nonobese diabetic mouse, which mimicks very closely the development of diabetes in humans. We will determine if we can reverse diabetes in these animals and determine if their response to glucose is normal over an extended period of time, with no attack by the factors of the immune system that stimulate the development of diabetes in man. The results from this research proposal should result in the delivery of the insulin gene to large numbers of primary liver cells that will then synthesise, store and secrete insulin in response to glucose. These cells would control blood glucose levels in patients without the need for immunosuppression.Read moreRead less
Exploring Models For Antibody Mediated Endocrine Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$140,949.00
Summary
Common endocrine disorders like Graves’ disease, are mediated by auto-antibodies, causing uncontrolled hormonal expression and undesirable effects. However, due to the limited understanding of the antibody interactions, the treatment is still focused on controlling the hormone production/interactions instead of targeting the underlying autoimmune processes. This project aims to further characterise the role the antibody through animal studies and developing novel treatments based on the research ....Common endocrine disorders like Graves’ disease, are mediated by auto-antibodies, causing uncontrolled hormonal expression and undesirable effects. However, due to the limited understanding of the antibody interactions, the treatment is still focused on controlling the hormone production/interactions instead of targeting the underlying autoimmune processes. This project aims to further characterise the role the antibody through animal studies and developing novel treatments based on the research.Read moreRead less