Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a serious autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. In Canada, approximately 300,000 people are living with T1D, and the number of new cases continues to rise by 4.4% each year. Managing this disease requires constant monitoring of blood sugar levels and can lead to severe health complications, emphasizing the need for better treatments and a deeper understanding of how T1D develops. To explore new treatment options, our research is developing a lab-based model of T1D using stem cells-versatile cells that can become any cell type-to generate the immune cells involved in the disease. By recreating the immune environment of T1D in a dish, this cell-based model will help us uncover the underlying mechanisms responsible for the destruction of insulin-producing cells, and allow us to test potential treatments. Specifically, we will generate two types of immune cells, macrophages and dendritic cells, which are known to trigger autoimmune responses in T1D. These will be combined with stem cell-derived insulin-producing pancreatic cells to create an experimental platform that mimics the early stages of the disease. By observing how these cells interact under inflammatory conditions, we will be able to study the signals that drive the immune system to mistakenly attack the pancreas. This approach provides a powerful human-based alternative to animal models, which often fail to accurately predict how therapies will perform in people. Our system will also enable us to test strategies aimed at reprogramming harmful immune responses, creating a foundation for more precise therapies. By advancing our ability to model the disease in the lab, this work has the potential to reveal new biological insights, improve the design of treatments, and ultimately contribute to the long-term goal of treating T1D rather than just managing its symptoms.