Diabetes Cure shown in Australia.

[ant hill]

This is an interesting thing to be shown on ABC1 CH2 from Catalyst.
ABC TV Thursday, April 24 - 8:00pm
Type–1 diabetes can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and ultimately even death.

Regular insulin injections can of course keep this disorder in check, but certainly this is no cure.

However, scientists are optimistic they can change the lives of thousands of people – if only they can perfect a radical transplant procedure aimed at beating this disease for good.
This may well be that closest thing to a cure so drop whatever you are doing and whach this exciting development. :D

[fgummett]

That is hilarious :D How can the media know so little about something that affects so many people :eek:

[ant hill]

To the media, It's just another story. :confused:

[Subby]

Thanks Anthill for the heads up, I will tune in.

[viranth]

Will the people watching this write a summary for the rest of us?

[Subby]

Sure, if I see it I'll be happy to post about it.

[ant hill]

Hey just a reminder on this as I cannot wait to see what this is as it's so exciting. :D

[ant hill]

To night's is the night at 8:00PM Enjoy!! :D

[Subby]

!@#@ missed it. Fill us in, Peter...

[Janlaton]

Drs have been talking about transplanting a whole pancreas(?SP) or trying to inject healthy cells to try to restart an inactive one for years now. Let me know when they get it to work.:o

[ant hill]

!@#@ missed it. Fill us in, Peter...

You silly duffer LOL. Have a look here (http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/) and see the video.
I thought it was about the development that's in canada with a cure in a mice. :confused:

[fgummett]

Thanks Peter, interesting to watch the latest developments. My heart goes out to Barbara even though she seems to have a pretty healthy attitude to it all :)

[Olidus]

That was really cool to watch - for those who did not see it ;

Possible Cure for Type 1 Diabetes (http://www.abc.net.au/science/broadband/catalyst/asx/Cat_Ep11_Diabetes_hi.asx)

I think its cool that Barbara went a year and 1/2 making her own insulin after all that time. One way it could be looked at as a tease - but progress is progress.

Thanks for sharing Peter :)

[shiftzor]

All progress is good, I didn't realise how much progress had actually been made in this area. One thing about that video is that they didn't mention what raised BGs which imo makes it seem to the uneducated that the body magically raises BGs, which is far from the truth and doesn’t give a balanced idea of what diabetes is about. Otherwise it was good video :D.

[Dimes]

I've read that they are working on a way to develop stem cells from skin cells. Then if they can create islet cells from the stem cells, and figure out the encapsulating technology, it would seem very hopeful for a non-insulin dependent treatment, maybe in the not too-distant future.

Another approach would be figuring out why the auto-immune attack is happening in the first place, and figuring out how to stop it.

[ant hill]

I've read that they are working on a way to develop stem cells from skin cells. Then if they can create islet cells from the stem cells, and figure out the encapsulating technology, it would seem very hopeful for a non-insulin dependent treatment, maybe in the not too-distant future.
Yes that would be good as the islet cells is the carryier of insulin.

Another approach would be figuring out why the auto-immune attack is happening in the first place, and figuring out how to stop it.

And this is where the lab run by Dr. Denise L. Faustman (http://www.faustmanlab.com/) has this to halt the killer T-cells from attaking the islet cell. ;)
Thanks everyone. :D

[BlueSky]

Bob Elliot and his team at Living Cell Technologies have been working on this for a long time. Getting the approval he needs has been a major challenge. The initial tests on implanting encapsulated pig beta cells were stopped by the New Zealand government 10 years ago because of concerns about the risk of xenotransplantation. Recent trials in Russia were very encouraging, and they are waiting for final approval to start the next phase of trials in New Zealand. The government, as usual, is dragging its heels on this. Probably nothing will happen soon as it is an election year. And it seems the trials may be moved to the US. It looks like progress is being made. But it is just so slow! ...

[fgummett]

...if they can create islet cells from the stem cells, and figure out the encapsulating technology, it would seem very hopeful for a non-insulin dependent treatment...
As I understand it: stem cells come from the patient themselves so there would be no risk of rejection... no need for anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation. Now if only someone could convince GWB that the World wasn't created 4,800 years ago (on a Monday morning at 9am) they might actually get on with some stem cell research in the USA :mad:

[Dimes]

As I understand it: stem cells come from the patient themselves so there would be no risk of rejection... no need for anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation. Now if only someone could convince GWB that the World wasn't created 4,800 years ago (on a Monday morning at 9am) they might actually get on with some stem cell research in the USA :mad:

But they still need to protect against the autoimmune attack.. presumably that factor doesn't go away, and is the reason why a lot of "successful' treatments reverse in a year or two.

[fgummett]

Ah..! I didn't realise that the factor was still around. Thanks :)

[shiftzor]

But they still need to protect against the autoimmune attack.. presumably that factor doesn't go away, and is the reason why a lot of "successful' treatments reverse in a year or two.

Yep and I definitely prefer encapsulation to drugs that suppress the immune system, it is a much better solution. All of this seems achievable with the breakthroughs already made; I really hope they can get the funding and support they need. Only time will tell.;)