Researchers achieve milestone in efforts to get patients with diabetes off injected insulin for good
Diabetes researchers are reporting early success in a first-in-humans clinical trial to test whether pancreatic cells grown from a patient’s own blood can be safely implanted and begin to produce insulin. The team reported on their proof of concept and safety study in a newly published paper in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. Of 17 patients who…
Scientific and health breakthroughs, Indigenous rights and, perhaps surprisingly, the sexual orientation of an historic king
Readers will remember 2021 as the year the COVID-19 pandemic just wouldn't quit, but their reading choices show they were looking for variety in their news. Our Top Reads for the year show interest in scientific and health breakthroughs, Indigenous rights and, perhaps surprisingly, the sexual orientation of an historic king. Here are the stories…
As part of the celebrations, we're revisiting five great stories showcasing the breadth of work being done at the University of Alberta in the journey towards a cure. For many of the 465 million people around the world living with diabetes, insulin is a lifeline. Since their bodies don’t produce enough of the hormone naturally…
Link could hold the key to improving immune responses against COVID-19 and other viruses
A little-understood link between insulin resistance in cells and obesity could hold the key to improving immune responses against COVID-19 and other viruses, according to University of Alberta researcher Sue Tsai. “We hypothesize that insulin resistance in immune cells such as B cells is a major link between obesity and an impaired antiviral response, leading…
Active students have better grades, enhanced memory, lower absenteeism and better behaviour
The physical activity levels of our young people were already trending downward when COVID-19 hit. The pandemic made things worse. Kids around were stuck at home, forced to try to learn virtually. An online math class is one thing. A physical education class at home is nearly impossible. During the pandemic, physical education has been…
Tiny sensors could be used to detect and treat foot wounds before they get bad enough to require amputation
It was sparked by a chance conversation. Simon Palfreyman and Manisha Gupta got to talking about their research after a meeting. He’s an expert in wound care and she’s a leader in making biosensors that can be attached to the skin to monitor things like temperature or the presence of germs. Palfreyman, an assistant professor…
Research provides further evidence the microbiome can benefit patients’ health
A transplant of healthy gut microbes followed by fibre supplements benefits patients with severe obesity and metabolic syndrome, according to clinical trial findings published in Nature Medicine. Patients who were given a single-dose oral fecal microbial transplant followed by a daily fibre supplement were found to have better insulin sensitivity and higher levels of beneficial…
Having access to the Alberta Diabetes Institute makes living with diabetes a little easier
By Gillian Rutherford Contributor Troy Media People like me who live with diabetes have a lot to celebrate. It was 100 years ago that insulin was discovered and purified by a group of Canadian scientists, including the University of Alberta’s James Collip. That discovery commuted the death sentence of a diabetes diagnosis into a life…
Procedure developed at U of A guides islet cell transplants for people with Type 1 diabetes around the world
Nina Greene’s diabetes was so hard to control, she had “Type 1 Diabetic” tattooed on her left wrist – a guarantee that emergency medical personnel could identify her illness quickly if she was found unconscious. Despite all her efforts to manage her diabetes, she wound up in hospital so often with high or low blood…
Nearly $1M awarded to seven new projects from U of A researchers focusing on cancer, pulmonary, diabetes and neurology research
Seven new University of Alberta research projects focusing on cancer, pulmonary disease, diabetes and neurology are the latest recipients of funding from the 2020 Kaye Competition. The annual competition supports individuals and collaborative, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams in the pursuit of research, innovation and quality-improvement programs and projects that seek to establish new approaches to patient…
Diabetes researchers are reporting early success in a first-in-humans clinical trial to test whether pancreatic cells grown from a patient’s own blood can be safely implanted and begin to produce insulin. The team reported on their proof of concept and safety study in a newly published paper in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. Of 17 patients who…
