New Multi-Million Pound Study To Find The Cause Of Type 1 Diabetes, UK

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 29 May 2008 - 4:00 PST

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Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) has awarded more than £3million to fund a research centre that will investigate the causes of type 1 diabetes - a condition that results from an immune attack on the body's insulin producing cells. The study, known as the JDRF Centre for Diabetes Genes, Autoimmunity and Prevention (D-GAP), aims to understand how and why type 1 diabetes occurs, knowledge that may help develop future therapies with the aim of preventing the condition.

D-GAP will bring together some of the UK's leading type 1 diabetes researchers and over the next five years they will be focused on trying to unravel the connection between genes, immunity and type 1 diabetes. This collaboration is the result of type 1 diabetes experts, including Professor Mark Peakman from King's College London, Professors John Todd and Linda Wicker from the University of Cambridge and Professor Polly Bingley from the University of Bristol, coming together to discuss their work and results.

Recent research by Professor Todd has shown that the genetic profile of an individual determines whether they are at greater risk of developing type 1 diabetes, and that the genes identified operate within the immune system. These findings linked much of the research that was being carried out by Professors Peakman and Bingley. The next key stage in type 1 diabetes research is to make the link between those genes and the immune alterations. By coming together to create D-GAP, the researchers hope to speed up this process.

Researchers, led by Professor David Dunger at the University of Cambridge, will take genetic samples, via a simple blood or saliva test, from 4,000 volunteers across the UK made up of those who have type 1 diabetes, their relatives, and those from the general population. Once all the data is collected, researchers led by Todd, Peakman, Wicker and Bingley will begin a series of measurements on white blood cells. If a link between these measurements and the genes can be achieved, it will inform understanding of the disease process and pave the way for developments in the arena of drugs and therapies.

Karen Addington, Chief Executive of JDRF in the UK, said: "A key part of JDRF's research is aimed at stopping or reversing the immune system response that causes type 1 diabetes and D-GAP could provide the answers needed to achieve that. If we are able to understand what causes type 1 diabetes, we will be another step closer to finding the cure."

"JDRF encourages collaborative research by creating and funding centres of excellence across the world, however this kind of research initiative is only possible where world leaders in their fields are brought together, and we're lucky to have such scientific leaders based here in the UK."

Notes

About type 1 diabetes

- Type 1 diabetes is a serious, life threatening condition caused by the body's own immune system destroying insulin producing cells in the pancreas.

- Insulin is vital because it converts glucose from food into energy and a lack of insulin quickly results in serious illness and, if untreated, death.

- Type 1 diabetes strikes suddenly and without warning, usually in childhood and remains for life.

- Multiple daily insulin injections and blood tests are essential just to stay alive but are not a cure and can not prevent the long term, potentially devastating complications including blindness, limb amputations, kidney failure, heart disease and strokes.

- Every year around £2.5 billion is spent on treating type 1 diabetes and its complications.

About JDRF

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is the leading charitable funder of type 1 diabetes research worldwide. JDRF has been responsible for more than £600 million direct funding of the most promising and groundbreaking type 1 diabetes research around the world. http://www.jdrf.org.uk.

About King's College London

King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (Times Higher 2007) and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has 19,300 students from more than 130 countries, and 5,000 employees. King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. The College is in the top group of UK universities for research earnings and has an annual income of approximately £400 million. An investment of £500 million has been made in the redevelopment of its estate.

King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, social sciences, the health sciences, natural sciences and engineering, and has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe and is home to five Medical Research Council Centres - more than any other university.

King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are working together to create the UK's largest Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC). The AHSC will bring together the widest range of clinical and research expertise in the UK - strengths that will be used to drive improvements in care for patients, allowing them to benefit from breakthroughs in medical science and receive leading edge treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.

For further information visit http://www.bristol.ac.uk

About the University of Cambridge

As the University of Cambridge approaches its eight-hundredth anniversary in 2009, it is looking to the future. Its mission is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. It admits the very best and brightest students, regardless of background, and offers one of the UK's most generous bursary schemes.

The University of Cambridge's reputation for excellence is known internationally and reflects the scholastic achievements of its academics and students, as well as the world-class original research carried out by its staff. Some of the most significant scientific breakthroughs occurred at the University, including the splitting of the atom, invention of the jet engine and the discoveries of stem cells, plate tectonics, pulsars and the structure of DNA. From Isaac Newton to Stephen Hawking, the University has nurtured some of history's greatest minds and has produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other UK institution with over 80 laureates.

About the University of Bristol

The University was founded in 1876 as University College, Bristol. It was the first higher education institution in England to admit women on an equal basis to men. The University of Bristol is internationally distinguished and one of the very best universities in the UK dedicated to learning, discovery and enterprise. It is a world leader in research and a member of the Worldwide Universities Network and of the Russell Group of universities.

The University has around 12,500 undergraduate and 3,500 postgraduate students. The University organises its academic affairs in some 45 departments and 15 research centres which are arranged in six faculties.

In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), 15 of the University's units of assessment achieved the top grade of 5* and a further 21 were awarded grade 5. Thus 36 (78 per cent) of the 46 units of assessment were judged as world class or of international standing. Seventy-six per cent of the academic staff work in departments ranked at these levels.

University of Bristol

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