Juan Domínguez-Bendala, Ph.D., is Director of Stem Cell Development for Translational Research at the Diabetes Research Institute. Once again, thanks to Gina and Jon at Diabetes Talkfest - you'll have the opportunity to chat live with Dr. Domínguez-Bendala on August 23rd at 9pm Eastern Standard Time.

Dr. Domínguez-Bendala is currently involved in several projects that focus on the use of embryonic stem cells to obtain pancreatic islets, in the hopes that these newly developed cells could one day be transplanted into patients with type I diabetes.

Join Dr. Domínguez-Bendala to discuss his work and ask questions pertaining to embryonic stem cell research. I know I'll be there, in true form, asking questions that I've been archiving for an event like this one!

In 1996 a 41 year old male (a type 1 diabetic for 18 years) was injected with biocapsules containing pig islets to regulate his blood sugar level. The transplanted cells helped reduce the patient's insulin requirement by 34% for over a year, which provided better control. By 2005 the patient's glycated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c) remained lower than the pre-transplant levels.

Ten years later, the patent contacted Living Cell Technologies to inform them that he believed the transplanted pig islets were still alive and well. After tests were conducted, it was concluded that the pig cells were (as he reported) still functioning. This proved that the LCT patented technology for xenotransplantation was effective. It allows the islets to survive at least ten years in a micro-capsule coating and continue to release insulin into the patient's bloodstream without immune suppression. After tests we conducted on the type of insulin present in the patients blood - it was with 100% certainty that it was pig and not human insulin.

LCT has significantly advanced the encapsulation process since the 1996 clinical trial and there is an even greater understanding and control over the longevity and robustness of the encapsulation process, as well as the porcine islet cells. LCT will be trialing the DiabeCell pig islet cell transplant in patients in a phase I/IIa clinical trial, expected to begin in Quarter 2, 2007. In addition, LCT is awaiting approval to conduct an additional trial in New Zealand this year with a different treatment protocol. Subsequent trials in the US or Europe are intended following initial results from these studies.

If overseas trials are coming through with flying colors - why aren't we doing this yet? C'mon USA - where's your competitive spirit? All these pigs up in Spring Point might be put to good use, after all. Oink Oink.

Just like a referee to normalize play throughout the game - DiaKine Therapeutics is developing ways to normalize the body's immune system.

The new drugs modulate cytokines, part of the body's immune system, which mistakenly attack normal organs and tissue and cause diseases such as: diabetes, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. Research by Dr. Nadler and his collaborators published in 2006 showed that controlling certain cytokines can arrest the progression of, or reverse, type 1 diabetes in an animal model.

The company's first product, IsletLifeLSF Media 1 is designed to improve the viability and insulin producing capabilities of harvested islet cells prior to transplant. This would potentially improve the success rate of the procedure. Additional therapeutics under development by DiaKine include: adjunct therapy to islet cell transplants, halting the progression of type 1 diabetes in newly diagnosed adults, treatment and prevention of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults (LADA), treatment and prevention of insulin requiring type 2 diabetic, treatment and prevention of diabetes complications.

It all sounds like good stuff in the works. Keep an eye on the progress and press releases of DiaKine, as well as their research partner - the Diabetes Research Institute. A lot is happening these days. What else have you seen or heard about in the autoimmune arena?

Chat live with Dr. Pugliese, an expert on the immunology and genetics of diabetes at The Diabetes Research Institute. His work has been focused on preventing the autoimmune attack that leads to diabetes. This research is very important for future prevention strategies, as well as stopping autoimmune destruction of transplanted islets.

Dr. Pugliese's has studied the role of the thymus gland in the immune system and he describes it as the "school for the immune system". All immune cells are forced to pass through the thymus gland where they are exposed to the antigens present throughout the body. Immune cells that bind to these normal antigens are destroyed, thereby preventing the later destruction of healthy cells. If no binding occurs, then the cell is deemed to be friendly to host tissue and is released to become part of the immune system. The insulin producing cells of the body - islets -- are not the only body cells that release insulin. Dr. Pugliese's research has shown that there are other cells that release tiny amounts of insulin, but not in response to blood glucose. These cells present insulin to the visiting immune cells in the thymus, and any immune cell that binds is killed. It is believed that a low insulin output in these decoy cells in people who develop diabetes may be the reason that immune cells are allowed to live that will later track insulin back to its source and destroy healthy islets. In people who have the genetic markers that protect against diabetes, these cells secrete more insulin than they do in people with genes that pre-dispose them to diabetes. The more insulin in the thymus, the more likely that insulin-specific autoreactive lymphocytes will be killed, with fewer chances of developing diabetes.

Confused yet? Yeah, me too - but my confusion feeds my insatiable curiosity. That is precisely why I will be joining the rescheduled chat with Dr. Pugliese. Please, be there on March 15th at 9pm Eastern Standard Time on Diabetes Talkfest. Make it a date: you, me, Dr. P and the most informed people in the diabetes community. Once again, thanks to Gina and Jon for Linking Diabetics Coast to Coast!

Like a dog chasing its own tail (but nowhere near as funny), type 1 diabetes is caused by a self-imposed attack on insulin producing cells. Here's your chance to chat live and learn about the latest discoveries to interfere with the automimmune confusion. Chat live with the head of the Immunogenetics Program at the Diabetes Research Institute, Alberto Pugliese, M.D.

The DRI program is specifically focused on understanding how genetic and immunological factors play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes and how certain genetic and immunological factors may actually afford protection from diabetes. The program is uncovering ways to interfere with the immune cells that attack the insulin producing cells in the pancreas resulting in diabetes.

In plain English, join Dr. Pugliese to enlighten yourself and ask any questions you may have regarding this impressive research. The chat begins at 9pm EST and those who miss it can catch the excitement in the transcript, to be posted shortly thereafter. I hope to see fellow IDDMs on the chat roster.

Charity is a beautiful thing. This is especially true for Eugenia "Gene" Dodson, who was a beautician for most of her career. On October 17, 2006 the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation and the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center jointly announced the receipt of a $35.6 million gift from the estate of the late Eugenia J. Dodson of Coral Gables. Mrs. Dodson died 24 days before her 101st birthday.

The touching story of Mrs. Dodson's generosity begins with her two brothers, Russell (bottom left) and Raymond (bottom right) Johnson. Both brothers passed away from diabetic complications. Mrs. Dodson survived lung cancer. When her husband and the love of her life, J. Enloe Dodson (top right), passed away he left Gene a modest inheritance. Throughout the past 50 years, she preserved and discreetly grew this money for the purpose of funding research to cure diabetes and cancer.

The DRI Foundation plans to use the gift for a number of cure initiatives. The funding will be used to create the J. Enloe and Eugenia J. Dodson Diabetes Center for Translational Research and establish the Raymond and Russell Johnson Fellowship in Type 1 Diabetes Research. Eugenia's gift represents the single largest donation in the 35 year history of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. In her wake, Mrs. Dodson has strengthened our hopes of someday finding a cure for diabetes. Without question, she has left a beautiful impression on the world.

One of the emerging technologies in diabetes research is gene therapy. Gene therapy involves the treatment of islets to be transplanted. Using gene therapy strategies on islet cells can improve the efficacy of pancreatic islet transplants.

At the Diabetes Research Institute, scientists have made the safety and efficiency of this process their first priority. The DRI is using progressive technology to make islets stronger and to increase their mass. This is in response to the inherent problems associated with transplantation of islets. Learn more about gene therapy from a leading DRI scientist, Elizabeth Fenjves, Ph.D.

Dr. Fenjves' has led this research for the protection of islets in transplantation. Meet and greet with her LIVE on DIABETES talkfest on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 9PM ET

I would like to thank Gina Capone, of DIABETES talkfest, for making this opportunity possible to those of us who are interested in learning more about gene therapy. Happy Birthday Gina!