Microscopic Materials Facilitate Transplant Tolerance
Background:
One of the newest and most quickly evolving fields of bioengineered medicine involves the study and use of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are synthetic materials that are microscopic in size; thousands fit inside the width of a single human hair. Yet scientists believe they’re powerful enough to play a significant role in the treatment of diabetes.
Research Focus:
Diabetes Research Institute scientists are studying whether these microscopic particles can be used to help diabetes patients tolerate transplanted insulin-producing cells. The belief is that these particles can be loaded with immunosuppressive agents (anti-rejection drugs) and, because they are so small, sent precisely to cells in the body that regulate the immune system’s response. By pinpointing the delivery of the drug to a specific cell, we can potentially dampen or modify an immune response that would be triggered by the introduction of foreign tissue and allow diabetes patients to tolerate transplanted insulin-producing cells.
Leading to a Cure: How this Research Supports our Mission
As long as cell replacement therapy is perceived as a viable treatment for type 1 diabetes, establishing tolerance of the transplanted cells is critical. The use of microscopic nanoparticles may play a significant role in our ability to achieve transplant tolerance, maintain long-term insulin function and improve the quality of life of diabetes patients.