Thanks to nano-technology and five brilliant scholars - a once a day injection to automatically detect blood sugar and release insulin to keep it in range is on the horizon.

SmartInsulin contains nano-sized particles that release insulin in proportion to blood glucose levels. These particles slowly break down and release insulin into the blood stream, regulating the blood sugar. Once the blood sugar is at normal levels, the particles close back up. This substantially reduces the likelihood of hypos - one of the greatest concerns for diabetics. SmartInsulin will minimize insulin dosages, decrease pain due to relentless blood sugar monitoring, dramatically improve blood sugar control, and will reduce diabetic complications.

The team of 5 students, called SmartCells, won the grand prize in an Entrepreneurship Competition for its work on the monitoring device. SmartCells team member Todd Zion invented the technology as part of his Ph.D. research in chemical engineering at MIT. Zion had an additional incentive for researching this disease. "Type 1 runs in my family. There's a genetic predisposition for it," Zion said. "I also have family members who have Type 2 diabetes. It hits home a little bit closer when someone you know has the disease."

As of April 1, 2007 SmartCells, Inc. received notice that it has been awarded $394,363 in first-year funding for a multi-year Phase 1 SBIR grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant was awarded to support development and testing of multimeric aptamers for use in SmartCells' glucose-regulated insulin formulations. Multi-wha? Can someone explain to me what a multimeric aptamers is?

Over 50 years ago medical technology introduced us to an artificial kidney. Since then, the movement has continued to yield a whole array of bio-artificial parts like: artificial blood, heart valves, replacement joints, and heart-lung machines. This begs the question, what's taking the artificial pancreas so long?

The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is holding a hearing titled "The Potential of an Artificial Pancreas: Improving Care for People with Diabetes" on Wednesday September 27th. Testifying before the committee will be: Arnold Donald (JDRF President and CEO), Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health Acting Director), Chris Dudley (former NBA star and founder of The Dudley Foundation), and Caroline K. Sweeney accompanied by her son Aidan T. Sweeney.

The hearing was informative, statistically sobering and technically effective. The emotional outpouring Caroline Sweeney gave in her testimony emphasized the forbidding stresses diabetes can impose on a family. I can sympathize with Carolne and empathize with Aidan. This disease can be controlled with minimal emotional collateral. Hopefully the hearing will trigger someone with the wherewithal to assign the federal funding needed to eradicate another heartbreaking testimony like that of Caroline Sweeney.