2020 was a year of challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the disruption to our normal way of doing things, thanks to your support, our JDRF-funded research was able to progress and produce some exciting new developments.
As 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, at JDRF we are moving into the next phase of our research strategy, transforming our approach and redesigning it for speed to give Canadians hope for freedom from type 1 diabetes (T1D).. With your help, we are building upon the Canadian legacy of Banting and Best to push aggressively towards cures; while supporting the vital research and programs that improve the lives of those living with T1D. To learn more about our bold and innovative $100M Campaign to Accelerate that aims to defeat the T1D monster that burdens 300,000 Canadians, go to Jdrf.ca/accelerate
Some highlights of the new initiatives we’ve been able to support over 2020:
Dr. Ahmad Haidar, Assistant Professor at McGill University in Montreal, QC
Dr. Haidar is testing whether adding a hormone called pramlintide to insulin therapy can eliminate the need for carb counting in teenagers and adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using a closed-loop system.
Dr. Megan Levings, Professor, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia and an Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC
Dr. Levings is studying how the autoimmune response is curtailed by T1D therapies in clinical testing, and exploring new approaches to cure T1D by targeting the immune system.
Dr. Andrew Pepper, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB
Dr. Pepper’s work aims to advance an approach for long-lasting islet replacement therapy that will not require immunosuppression. Right now, islet replacement therapy is limited in scope to those who have very difficult-to-control T1D, who still stand to benefitfrom an islet trasnplant despite the risks of long-term immunosupression.
Watch a video about the 2020 research highlights:
For more information on our research strategy, please click here.
We will be providing research and other education updates in each issue of our bi-monthly T1D Insider Newsletter in 2021 as we mark this very important milestone of 100 years of insulin. Don’t forget to sign up to stay updated!
On behalf of the 300,000 Canadians living with T1D, thank you for supporting research that is bringing us closer to turning type one into type none.
