Centers to Offer Islets for Transplantation in Diabetics

A US$10 million grant from the U.S. National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will go to 10 U.S. Islet Cell Resource (ICR) centers. These centers will be responsible for the isolation, purification, and characterization of human pancreatic islets for use in transplantation research in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Recent studies have reported success with islet transplantation, which has reversed the course of diabetes in some patients with type 1 diabetes, to the extent that they were able to stop their daily insulin injections. The centers will procure whole pancreata and acquire relevant data about the donors, isolation techniques, and preparation methods. They will distribute the islets for approved research and clinical studies. In addition, they will seek to improve cellular viability and function.

The U.S. centers selected are Beckman Research Institute (Duarte, CA); Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons (New York, NY); Joslin Diabetes Center (Boston, MA); University of Colorado Health Science Center (Denver); University of Miami (FL); University of Minnesota (Minneapolis); University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia); University of Tennessee (Memphis); and Washington University (St. Louis, MO).




Related Links:
National Center for Research Resources