Grant: Knowledge Translation Supplement

In type 1 diabetes, the body's own immune system destroys insulin-producing cells (called beta-cells) in the pancreas, resulting in little or no insulin production. With little or no insulin, glucose levels rise, raising the risk of retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy, as well as the risk of heart attack and stroke. Currently, artificial insulin is given to patients to control their blood sugars. Most patients require frequent daily insulin injection. Since most type 1 diabetes patients are children or adolescents, compliance with treatment is a significant concern. A promising emerging therapy for type 1 diabetes is transplantation of pancreatic islet cells. In this procedure, donor islet cells are harvested from healthy patients and given to patients who have diabetes. CIHR funding has allowed Dr. Ray Rajotte and his research team to evaluate alternative sources of islet cells and methods to lower the risk of rejection. In this grant, we will create 2 videos: one for patients and the other for healthcare practitioners to translate the knowledge derived from CIHR-funded research on islet cell transplantation. The videos will be disseminated through many multimedia platforms through Insidermedicine: insidermedicine.com, google news, iTunes/iPhone/iPad, and the InsidermedicineTV network.