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!

When you're out driving this Father's Day weekend and stop at a busy intersection, look for the volunteers wearing the orange shirts. They are tirelessly soliciting donations from passing motorists to support Dollars Against Diabetes, an annual campaign organized by the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute. Dollars for Diabetes has raised a whopping $17 million since 1987.

Throw some change in the bucket, and maybe even some greenbacks. We all know it is going to a good cause.

If you miss the orange shirts in your area, union members raise additional dollars through walk-a-thons, softball/golf tournaments, raffles and other local events. Thank you Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO.

A very Happy Father's Day to all!

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.

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.

Bravo! Brands have teamed-up with the Diabetes Research Foundation again in a partnership that will help raise funds for diabetes research. Here's what their doing: Bravo! Brands have expanded their already existing relationship with DRI by offering two more products that are deemed healthy for most people with diabetes, or for people who simply wish to reduce their carb and caloric intake.

Bravo! Brands already offers Slim Slammers, a flavored milk beverage, as a healthy alternative to other flavored milks, and it has now had the DRI logo on it for over two years. Now, Bravo! Brands has announced that the following products will also be part of the partnership and shall bear the DRI logo:

~ 3 Musketeers Slammers Chocolate Milk: It's 99 percent fat-free, so it's already off to a good start. And, it's taste is that of, you guessed it, a Three Musketeers Bar. Also not a bad thing. Plus, it has half the carbs of other chocolate milk brands and 63 percent less fat than whole milk.

~ Bravo! Blenders: This if for people who are Lactose Intolerant, as opposed to people who have the patience to deal with it ;) It is a meal replacement beverage that comes in four flavors, and it has fewer calories than many popular beverages of its kind. In addition, it's fortified with extra vitamins and minerals, not to mention that it has 25 percent more protein than regular milk.

As I mentioned in a post not too long ago, it is corporate funding of this kind that helps to an extent that a collection of individual donations could only hope to. In fact, another one that comes to mind is Barbersol's partnership with the JDRF (look for cans of Barbersol featuring Olympic Swimmer Gary Hall).

Bravo to all of you.

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.