Grant: Team Grant: Diabetes Mechanisms and Translational Solutions - LOI - General

In healthy individuals, blood sugar levels are tightly controlled by insulin. Secretion of insulin, a vital hormone to reduce blood sugar, is lost in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Thus, people living with T1D (PWT1D) need life-long intensive insulin therapy. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is a frequent complication of insulin therapy and can lead to malaise, loss of consciousness, convulsions and even death. Hypoglycemia frequency and burden remains extremely high, thus one of the highest priorities for PWT1D is to reduce it. We have co-developed with patient partners a research program to better predict, prevent and treat hypoglycemia. We will: • Extend the size (additional provinces) and scope (collection of key factors associated with hypoglycemia e.g. physical activity) of an existing registry to better assess hypoglycemia risk factors. • Use the data collected in the registry to develop a tool to predict hypoglycemia induced by physical activity. • Compare the efficacy of all available artificial pancreas systems (automated insulin delivery systems) to prevent hypoglycemia. • Develop an online training program to reduce the recurrence of hypoglycemic events leading to loss of consciousness. • Compare the efficacy of different approaches for a faster treatment of the most frequent hypoglycemic episodes. • Evaluate if vigorous physical activity can help patients to better perceive symptoms of hypoglycemia. We are mainly using low-cost online approaches ensuring easy implementation and wide access of developed programs for Canadian patients and healthcare teams. Our research program has the potential to reduce hypoglycemia frequency and consequences and thus improve the quality of life of PWT1D.