Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes (T1D), occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing (beta) cells of the pancreas. Despite tremendous advances in treatment, a complete picture of the processes that lead to T1D is still not known. My research will examine how a type of immune cell called macrophages may play a role. Macrophages are most commonly known for their role in fighting infection, but they may also help regulate immune responses. In mice, macrophages have been shown to slow autoimmune activity and help insulin-producing beta cells regrow and survive, but whether they have a similar role in humans has not been investigated. To explore this, I will grow human macrophages together with human beta cells in the lab or inject human macrophages into mice transplanted with human beta cells, and measure effects on insulin secretion and cell growth. I will also compare macrophage from healthy versus T1D individuals to examine differences in gene expression. Understanding how macrophages contribute to and/or protect from the development of T1D, may lead to the use of macrophages as a treatment to induce survival/recovery of beta cells that produce insulin.