Objective
We have developed approaches based on ultrasound imaging that can detect changes within the pancreas associated with the immune system destroying insulin producing cells within the pancreas. Ultrasound imaging is safe, cost effective and widely available, compared to other imaging approaches. While highly promising there are areas for improving our existing ultrasound imaging approaches to better detect specific disease signatures associated with type1 diabetes development, to better detect and predict diabetes development. Our objective is to develop contrast agents that can be measured by ultrasound imaging, and which can sensitively report on the specific disease signatures that cause type1 diabetes.
Background Rationale
In type1 diabetes, the ability for the pancreas to produce insulin is gradually destroyed by the immune system over many years. Drugs have recently been approved, and are continually being developed, that can stop this destruction and prevent or delay diabetes emerging. Unfortunately, there are very limited means to identify patients that are at high risk for diabetes that could receive this drug treatment. Further there are no means to track whether any provided treatment is being effective. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop methods that can track the underlying disease within the pancreas that causes type1 diabetes.
Description of Project
In type1 diabetes, the ability for the pancreas to produce insulin is gradually destroyed by the immune system over many years. Drugs have recently been approved, and are continually being developed, that can stop this destruction and prevent or delay diabetes emerging. Unfortunately, there are very limited means to identify patients that are at high risk for diabetes that could receive this drug treatment. Further there are no means to track whether any provided treatment is being effective. Therefore, there is a urgent need to develop methods that can track the underlying disease within the pancreas that causes type1 diabetes. We have developed approaches based on ultrasound imaging that can detect changes within the pancreas associated with the immune system destroying insulin producing cells within the pancreas. Ultrasound imaging is safe, cost effective and widely available, compared to other imaging approaches. While highly promising there are areas for improving our existing ultrasound imaging approaches to better detect specific disease signatures associated with type1 diabetes development, to better detect and predict diabetes development. Our objective is to develop contrast agents that can be measured by ultrasound imaging, and which can sensitively report on the specific disease signatures that cause type1 diabetes. The successful conclusion of this project will provide a means to predict and track the development of type1 diabetes, which will guide the application of therapies to prevent type1 diabetes. The successful conclusion of the project will also assess the impact of any therapy and enable the delivery of drugs to the sites of disease within the pancreas. Therefore, this project will contribute to multiple aspects of preventing type1 diabetes.
Anticipated Outcome
We anticipate developing contrast agents that will enable ultrasound imaging to more accurately report on the state of the pancreas during the development of type1 diabetes. This will include the state of the immune system and the state of insulin producing cells and include reporting during diabetes development and after therapeutic treatments.
Relevance to T1D
The outcome from this project will provide a means to more accurately predict and track the development of type1 diabetes, which will guide the application of therapies to prevent type1 diabetes. The outcome from this project will also improve the application of therapies for type1 diabetes, by both assessing the impact of any therapy and by enabling the delivery of drugs to the sites of disease within the pancreas. Therefore, this project will contribute to multiple aspects of preventing type1 diabetes.