“We strongly believe that the scientific community now has all the necessary ingredients to make cell-based therapy of diabetes an option for the majority of diabetic patients.”
José Oberholzer, MD, Director, The Chicago Diabetes Project
The Chicago Diabetes Project and the University of Illinois at Chicago have established in record time a first-class human islet isolation and transplantation program.
10 out of 10 patients achieved insulin independence in a successful phase I/II clinical trial.
We are close to the cure.
Islet cell transplantation offers promise of a cell-based, functional cure for diabetes. Transplanted islet cells quickly begin to act as insulin factories, allowing recipients live insulin free. By placing the islet cells in protective capsules, there is hope that transplant recipients will not need immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection. Future research to prove these concepts will pave the way for widespread clinical application of a cell-based cure for diabetes.
Our research is now focused on overcoming the remaining obstacles to islet transplantation:
Finding an unlimited source of insulin producing cells, and protecting the islet cells with microencapsulation to avoid the long-term risks of immunosuppressant drugs.
Your contribution will help doctors and scientists all over the world to bring an end to diabetes of all types. Together we can brighten the lives of people across the globe.
