Jan Jensen, Ph.D., the first to hold the Eddie J. Brandon Endowed Chair for Diabetes Research, came to Cleveland Clinic two and a half years ago to work toward the goal of finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Jensen, 42, is certain the disease will be cured in his lifetime. He says there’s been accelerated movement toward that end since 2006, when Japanese physician and stem cell researcher Shinya Yamanaka and his team turned the scientific world on its ear by generating cells believed to be identical to embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells can differentiate into any type of cell, including – and this is the focus of Dr. Jensen’s work – insulin-producing pancreatic cells.

Dr. Jensen is working on a different track from that of Dr. Yamanaka’s team. The Japanese researchers employed genes to help cells become undifferentiated – for example, reverting an adult skin cell to a state nearly identical to that of an embryonic stem cell. This is new science, but if it can be perfected, there would be an unlimited source of stem cells without the use of human embryos.
Coaxing Cells

Dr. Jensen’s research involves learning how to coax these newly undifferentiated cells to become insulin-producing beta cells, also known as islet cells.

“These beta cells are ‘the Holy Grail,’” says Dr. Jensen, who feels an obligation to help the millions of people who grapple with type 1 diabetes. Islet cell transplantation is not the answer because there are not enough donors, he says. Instead, “We need a universal source of insulin cells. Like going to the supermarket and picking up 2 grams of islet cells.”

That’s not as far-fetched as it may seem. Researchers around the world are working toward a cure for the disease. “I see a replacement cure in place,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be myself. I want to see my contribution somewhere along the trail that led to it.”

Dr. Jensen and five other researchers in his lab at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute are studying 20 genes to understand how those genes affect the development or differentiation of cells. They’re also studying signaling cells that help lead an undifferentiated cell to develop into one kind of cell over another.

Their aim can be summed up in two words: cell therapy. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas no longer produce insulin. “We need to make new cells. We need to provide cells to produce the insulin of those cells that were lost,” Dr. Jensen says. “Type 1 diabetes is screaming for cell therapy.”

Endowed chairs, such as the Eddie J. Brandon Endowed Chair for Diabetes Research, help support activities in the lab and expand research. And they have another, even greater purpose, according to Dr. Jensen. “Chairs give researchers leeway to take chances they couldn’t otherwise take.” Research grants are earmarked for particular activities. “There’s very little room to simply take a big chance, to say, ‘This is exciting. Let’s see what happens.’”

But with endowed funding, “We can say, ‘Let’s try it and see what comes out,’” he says. “It can lead to breakthrough insight that you can’t get with conventional wisdom.”

The counterpart project to Islet Cell Genesis Project is the Encapsulation Project (EP). Given a source of renewable cells or islets, they will need to be protected from the immune system. Currently, this need is managed by a life-long regiment of immunosuppressive drugs.

Encapsulating islets in a polymer bead allows insulin, glucose and other nutrients to pass through while protecting the islets from the body’s immune system. This is a technology currently under development; we strongly believe in the future of islet cell replacement therapy. 

As of February 2011, the CDP is happy to report on a newly accepted publication in the Journal of Surgical Research http://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804(11)00066-7/abstract. Primarily conducted by Dr. Merigeng Qi, the article entitled, ‘A Recommended Laparoscopic Procedure for Implantation of Microcapsules in the Peritoneal Cavity of Non-human Primates ,’ is a description of a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure for the implantation of microcapsules into the abdomen of baboons.

An important finding of the paper is the fact that there is no immune reaction or clean and intact capsules up to 4 months after implantation of the PMCG capsule. The exception is one case where it was observed that capsules that came into direct contact with blood resulted in a inflammatory response.  This is an important milestone and bears clinical significance as, according to the authors, “Given the current widespread clinical application of laparoscopy ... this presented laparoscopy technique could be applied in future clinical trials of microencapsulated islet transplantation.”

As of March 2011, the CDP is also happy to report on another newly accepted paper to appear in the journal Acta Biomaterialia http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/702994/description#description. Entitled ‘Alginate Microbeads are Complement-compatible in contrast to Polycation containing Microcapsules Revealed by a Human Whole Blood Animal Model.’

The study is the first of many to understand the immune’s system’s complement activation mechanisms in response biomaterials used in microcapsules that come into direct contact with blood. This new test and understanding will serve as the basis in the new Diasolve Project. Once again, as of March 2011, the CDP is proud to announce that Dr. Igor Lacík Head of the Department of Special Polymers and Biopolymers at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, has received funding support from the Slovak Research and Development Agency.
Dr. Lacík will receive a total of €249,000 ($349,000 USD). The Diasolve Project will be a collaborate effort between the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology at Trondheim (NTNU), and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).

As shown above with baboons in the Journal of Surgical Research publication, microcapsule contamination with blood can cause an inflammatory reaction. As a result, it was believed that studies examining the reaction of capsules with human blood were needed. Especially as capsule performance varies with among different animal models. The result is a new publication where CDP scientists, led by Dr. Ann Mari from NTNU created and tested a new “human whole blood model” that can be used as an inflammatory predictor by measuring complement and leukocyte (white blood cell) stimulation. More importantly, this new whole blood model can serve as a basis to optimize capsules for use in the human body.

Although this data is promising, the road to perfecting encapsulation technology is still long. There are still many factors to consider, especially across different pre-clinical animal models.

These studies were conducted as part of the CDP, and was sponsored by the Washington Square Health Foundation, the Christopher Family Foundation, the Efroymson Fund, the Wirtz Family, the UIC College of Medicine at Chicago, and most importantly, by readers like you.

Where: Wilmette Public Library
1242 Wilmette Avenue
Wilmette, IL
When: September 14, 2010, 7-8 PM
RSVP: E-mail Merle Gleeson at or call 847-338-2634.

José Oberholzer, MD, is Professor of Surgery, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago the Director of the Islet and Pancreas Transplant Program and the Chief of the Division of Transplantation. He has extensive experience in clinical and experimental islet transplantation, abdominal organ transplantation, as well as advanced hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. Dr. Oberholzer is also an expert in advanced minimally invasive and robotic surgery of abdominal organs.  He is also the coordinator of the Chicago Project for a functional cure of diabetes, a unique international coalition of interdisciplinary scientists working together.

To date the UIC islet transplant program has performed over 400 human islet isolations for both transplant and research. UIC is a federally funded islet cell resource center and provides islet preparation for researchers around the world. Dr. Oberholzer has successfully completed a phase 1/2 trial with 10 patients investigating the effect of anti-inflammatory treatment in combination with exenatide on islet transplantation outcomes.

UIC started the nation’s first phase 3 licensure trial in islet transplantation and is part of NIH’s clinical islet transplantation consortium.  UIC has a comprehensive islet transplant research program with emphasis on improving clinical outcomes, expanding the available human islets and avoiding long-term immunosuppression.

This Article was translated from a Slovak Academy of Sciences webpage. Article appeared on May 18, 2011. Link to original article appears at end of News Story.

On May 12th, 2011, at a meeting with representatives of the leaders of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) and the Washington Square Health Foundation (WSHF), Prof. José Oberholzer was awarded by the Ján Jessenius Honorary Plaque.

The meeting at the Presidium of SAS in Bratislava was attended by Vice-Presidents Dr. Albert Breier and Prof. Daniela Ježová, and a representative of the Presidium of SAS, Dr. Ladislav Petruš, and a project leader of the Chicago Diabetes Project (CDP) for Slovakia, Director of the Polymer Institute of SAS Dr. Igor Lacík.

Representatives from the Washington Square Health Foundation (WSHF), President William N. Werner, Executive Director Howard Nochumson, Program Director Catherine Baginski, and representatives from the CDP, project leader Prof. José Oberholzer, Deputy Principal Investigators from Switzerland Prof. David Hunkeler, Prof. Bernie Tuche from Australia, and Prof. Gudmund Skjak-Braek from Norway, informed the representatives of SAS about the CDP project, of which the Polymer Institute of SAS is actively engaged. The goal of the project is to provide continuous control of blood sugar levels for diabetic patients by transplantation of functional insulin-producing pancreatic islets (or islet replacement cells) protected by a polymer microcapsule which will effectively act as their own pancreas.

Laudation on José Oberholzer was presented by Prof. Daniela Ježová. In her speech she also mentioned Professor Oberholzer’s origins in Zurich, Switzerland. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, as well as the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Both institutional centers are at the forefront of diabetes research in the world. The fight against diabetes has become one of the main directions of Professor Oberholzer’s career. Furthermore, Prof. Ježová said that Prof. José Oberholzer is known for his deep devotion in all his activities. Those who have had the honor to work with him, and also run marathons with him, play guitar or taste wine with thim, find in Prof. Oberholzer a strong personality with the ability to motivate and move things forward. This allows for a feeling of hopefulness in the collaboration between the Slovak Academy of Sciences with Prof. Oberholzer and within the Chicago Diabetes Project will realize the goal of the CDP - a functional cure fo diabetes.

The prestigious award was presented to Prof. José Oberholzer by Vice-President of SAS Dr. Albert Breier.

The meeting at the Presidium of SAS was part of the project meeting of the Chicago Diabetes Project (http://www.thechicagodiabetesproject.org), which was held in Bratislava, on May 11th-15th, 2011. During these five days, led by Prof. José Oberholzer, University of Illinois (UIC), Chicago, USA and a local organizer Dr. Igor Lacík, Director of the Polymer Institute met in Bratislava, distinguished experts working in the treatment of diabetes from the USA, Europe and Australia presented on the current state of research efforts and discussed future plans.

As shown by the negotiations, the project aims to overcome two major obstacles in pancreatic islet transplantation. The first is to find an “unlimited” source of islet cell replacement cell for transplantation and the second is to protect transplanted islets from destruction by the immune system by their encapsulation in a polymer membrane. The Polymer Institute of SAS was invited to the >Chicago Diabetes Project in 2006 for their expertise concerning the development of polymeric microcapsules and the microencapsulation process.

Currently, as pointed out by Dr. Igor Lacík, within the CDP, SAS Polymer Institute researchers are working to identify material that is not only suitable for the encapsulation of pancreatic islets, but also will be safe for transplantation into humans in terms of minimum stimulation of the immune system in the long-term. The project meeting in Bratislava is significant as it brings honor, esteem, and appreciation to the work of the SAS Polymer Institute encapsulation group. With respect to the long-term cooperation of the Polymer Institute of SAS in this important project and also for the contribution of Prof. José Oberholzer to medical science, the Presidium of SAS, under the recommendation from the President of the SAS Section II (Life, Chemical, Medical, and Environmental Sciences), awarded Prof. Oberholzer the Ján Jessenius Honorary Plaque for merit in medical sciences.

The Chicago Diabetes Project was established in 2005 under the leadership of Prof. José Oberholzer from the University of Illinois at Chicago and supported by a startup grant from the Washington Square Health Foundation. This global project involving institutions from three continents, is aimed to provide functional treatment of diabetes.

\

The CDP is proud to announce that Dr. Igor Lacík, Head of the Department of Special Polymers and Biopolymers at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, has received funding support from the Slovak Research and Development Agency. Dr. Lacík will receive a total of €249,000 ($349,000 USD) in order to improve microcapsule technology and collaborate with the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology at Trondheim, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The purpose of the funding focuses on the Diasolve Project, which deals with the preparation of novel microcapsules with semipermeable properties specifically for the encapsulation of pancreatic islets.  Microcapsules provide an immunoprotection to islets after their transplantation into diabetic patients, which enables them to function and release insulin in a physiological manner according to actual instaneous changes in blood glucose.  Preparation of new microcapsules is based on previous experience and cooperation with project partners.  The subject of this project are polyelectrolyte microcapsules, which are tolerated under in vivo conditions in various animals models.  Recent ex vivo whole blood assays have shown, however, that these microcapsules may stimulate the human immune system.  Therefore, the Diasolve Project will be primarily focused toward improving the biocompatiblity of these microcapsules using modern principles of polymer chemistry by incorporation of functional polymers with proven biocompatibility properties.  The preparation of novel microcapsules will be associated with characterization of polymers, their mutual interactions important for the microcapsule formation, characterization of physico-chemical properties of microcapsules and their testing under in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo conditions.  The Diasolve Project will result in microcapsules suitable for preclinical evaluation with the perspective of their application in clinical transplantation of encapsulated
human pancreatic islets for diabetes treatment.

by Elizabeth Stoever,
Hinsdale, IL—When Max Evers, a Hinsdale Central High School senior, received a letter stating he was chosen as a candidate in the Presidential Scholars Program, it was a bit unexpected. That’s because Evers didn’t even apply for the program; he was chosen.

Evers is one of about 3,000 out of 3.6 million U.S. high school students expected to graduate this year to be considered for the program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Presidential Scholars Program is considered one of the highest honors for high school students. Students are selected based on GPA and ACT scores along with community and extra-curricular activities.

After the 3,000 selected are narrowed down to 500 semifinalists by a panel of educators, one male student and one female student from each state are named with the program’s top honors. They are then invited to Washington D.C. to receive an award, meet public leaders and attend various events.

In addition to his high GPA, an ACT score of 35 and a perfect score of 800 on the SAT for reading and math, Evers is a member of Hinsdale Central’s wrestling team. He also enjoys boxing outside of school.

He plans to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to study science or biology in hopes of eventually becoming a doctor. Evers said his father, neurologist Hans Evers, inspires him to go into medicine. He’s unsure of what field of medicine he will enter.

Currently, Evers is finishing up his last semester at Hinsdale Central High School and preparing for state regionals for his wrestling team. He continues to apply for other college scholarship programs.

Q: What surprised you most when you were notified about your candidacy?
A: I was really surprised. I wasn’t even aware that they were selecting students. To be one of 3,000 students chosen out of all the high school graduates in the U.S., it felt really great.

Q: What does being a candidate mean for you?
A: I worked really hard through high school. It’s just really nice to see my hard work pay off for that.

Q: What academic achievement are you most proud of?
A: Something I really enjoyed last summer was shadowing researchers looking for the cure for diabetes under the Chicago Diabetes Project. I was really glad to be a part of it. I also got the chance to observe a transplant surgery.

Q:What was one of the biggest challenges you overcame in high school?
A: My AP and Honors classes are very challenging, but I enjoy the challenge.

Q: How will your high school experiences prepare you for college?
A: I’m taking a lot of AP classes, college 101 classes. Academically, I’m very prepared. But there’s a lot more freedom in college that be might something to adjust to.

Q: Do you plan on participating in any extra-curricular activities in college?
A: I wrestle in high school, but I’m not going to be doing that in college. I’m just going to focus on academics. I don’t plan on doing any competitive sports.

Q: Who has been your biggest influence in high school?
A: My mom — she’s always been on me to do my best. She really throws encouragement at me.

On Tuesday, the press release went out with the news, “The Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle is sold out.”

40,000 runners are signed up and ready to run on April 10th, the 32nd running of the Chicago Classic.

Have no fear, if you are still interested in running, there are still some slots available through the various charities connects to the Shamrock Shuffle and all of them still have openings. Click on the links below to find out how you can run on behalf of several great charities all of which have limited openings and looking for runners.

AIDS Association of Chicago - Team to End AIDS
American Cancer Society
American Red Cross of Greater Chicago
The Chicago Diabetes Project - Cellmates on the Run
Imerman Angels One-On-One Cancer Support
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Team In Training
Opportunity Enterprises
Team World Vision

All amazing causes with one thing in common, a passion and dedication to making our world better for people who need it most.  This is your chance to get involved in a Chicago tradition, while at the same time make a difference in the world.

Please click here to see image gallery.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is one of 11 centers in the United States, Canada, Sweden and Norway to participate in the Clinical Islet Transplant Consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Consortium researchers have begun clinical studies to test new approaches to islet transplantation that may lead to improved outcomes and fewer side effects for adults with difficult-to-control type 1 diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes depend on multiple daily insulin injections or an insulin pump because their own immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. They often develop life-threatening complications, including damage to the heart and blood vessels, eyes, nerves and kidneys.

Islet transplantation offers the most promise for achieving insulin independence, glucose control and freedom from hypoglycemic attacks for type 1 diabetics, says Dr. José Oberholzer, principal investigator and director of cell and pancreas transplantation at UIC.

“This research will help us find the most effective combination of anti-rejection drugs to maximize islet engraftment while reducing toxic side effects,” said Oberholzer.

“The ultimate goal is to refine islet transplantation and generate an unlimited supply of islets so that many more people would benefit from this treatment,” he said.

Islet transplantation involves isolating islets from a donor pancreas and infusing the cells into the main blood vessel in the patient’s liver. If the transplant is successful, the islets lodge in the small blood vessels of the liver and begin producing insulin. Patients must take drugs to suppress their immune system and prevent rejection of the islets. In some cases, patients require more than one infusion of donor islets to produce enough insulin.

At UIC, patients will be enrolled in three protocols to evaluate a combination of different medications to protect the newly transplanted islet cells.

——————————————
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
——————————————

Eligible patients must be between the ages of 18 and 65, diagnosed before age 40, and insulin-dependent for more than five years. Type 1 diabetes patients who have had a kidney transplant and are taking immunosuppressive drugs may also be eligible.

For more information about the Clinical Islet Transplant Consortium studies, visit http://www.citisletstudy.org/index.html

UIC is also a National Institutes of Health Islet Cell Resource Center, one of seven federally funded centers in the United States to provide researchers across the country with human pancreatic islet cells for transplantation into diabetic patients and provide cells for basic science research.

Source: Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez
University of Illinois at Chicago

Shamblott’s answer came from the cells themselves. He was struck by the fact that when the lab’s so-called germline (EG) cells, a basic form of stem cell, were transplanted into mice with compromised immune systems, some clearly were transformed into insulin-producing cells. “To me, this was the most surprising, profound result we got,” Shamblott says.
And so Shamblott was drawn to the problem of diabetes. and the idea of producing islet cells, which produce insulin and regulate blood sugar. Thanks to the new “Edmonton Protocol,” which relies on a steroid-free immuno-suppressive drug regimen to control rejection, we didn’t have to be concerned about whether the cells matched the patient,” explains Shamblott.
But it takes two to three pancreas donors to come up with enough islet cells for one recipient, so obtaining a plentiful source of islet cells remained the big problem. Some stem-cell biologists were trying to create precise replacements for the beta cells within the islets that produce the insulin. Shamblott focused on engineering a beta-cell substitute, something he calls a glucose responsive insulin producing cell, or GRIP.

“It doesn’t have to be just like an islet, or just like a beta cell,” he says. “There’s been a strategy in this field to take cells and push them through the natural course of development in a dish. But it’s pretty complicated-too complicated-to end up with an islet. So, we’re not trying to redo development; we’re trying to produce cells that can cure diabetics. And GRIP defines exactly what we’re looking for.”

To create this new type of cell, Shamblott is adding the genes to the EG cells that they need to express in order to have GRIP function. He’s also manipulating the cell’s environment-the matrix upon which it sits and the media, or liquid, it sits in-by adding and subtracting the factors that appear to either support or impede GRIP function.

Finally, Shamblott is injecting the cells into diabetic mice. Surprisingly, not into the pancreas but under the kidney capsule or, more typically, into the spleen, which is small and flat and easy to examine to see what happens. “These cells could go anywhere and work, as long as they have blood,” he explains. “They just need to know what the glucose level is and produce insulin and get it into the bloodstream. One of the great things about diabetes is that it’s a disease that doesn’t occur in just one part of the body, so it’s not subject to location.”

The transplanted cells have matured in the mice. “They’ve been surprisingly powerful,” Shamblott says. “We haven’t found the right combination of numbers to make the animals recover, but we have shown that our human cells not only are capable of producing insulin, but also are able to process it.”

This past May, when the Bush administration quietly removed some of the government roadblocks to stem-cell research, the first-ever NIH grant award based on the use of EG cells went to Shamblott’s diabetes project.