Grant: Netherlands-Canada Type 2 Diabetes Consortium - Travel Award - General

In type 2 diabetes, insulin production by cells in the pancreas called beta cell declines, resulting in rising blood sugars. The loss of insulin production is due to the death of beta cella as well as progressive worsening of the function of surviving beta cells. Our research aims to understand the mechanisms that lead to beta cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. We believe that this is driven by inflammation and the accumulation of toxic products within the pancreas, including immune cells, protein aggregates, bacteria, and certain products of metabolism and diet, including fats. My current collaborations with Dutch researchers are investigating some of these pathways, with the goal of developing therapies that could slow the progressive loss of insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes.