Is a functional cure for Type 1 Diabetes on the horizon?
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Paul Laikind |
TEDxSanDiegoSalon
• July 2018
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that leads to a loss of beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells are part of a cellular complex that produce insulin, an essential hormone that regulates our blood sugar, keeping it within a narrow range, and thus allowing normal bodily functions to occur. To survive, patients must monitor and control their diet, track physical activity, carefully regularly measure their blood sugar levels, and inject the appropriate amount of insulin. But Paul Laikind and his team at ViaCyte are working on a functional cure that involves the use of stem cells which become pancreatic cells that can mature and produce insulin in a normal manner.