World Diabetes Day 2022: The Importance of Type 1 Research and Education with JDRF

World Diabetes Day 2022: The Importance of Type 1 Research and Education with JDRF

Thought leaderJosie ClarksonHead of Research CommunicationsJDRF UKTo mark World Diabetes Day 2022, News-Medical speaks to JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity, about the importance of research and awareness of type 1 diabetes and tackling the misconceptions behind this autoimmune disease.

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about the story behind JDRF?

I am Research Communications Lead at JDRF UK, the UK office of JDRF International. My job is to make research informative, easy to understand and engaging for everyone living with or affected by type 1 diabetes. This includes condensing and communicating the latest groundbreaking type 1 diabetes research taking place around the world.

We fund research into every stage of Type 1, from prevention to treatments and cures. We study whether new and existing drugs can be used to treat type 1 diabetes and develop cells and therapies to eradicate the disease.

JDRF was founded in 1970 by a group of parents whose children suffered from type 1 diabetes. Since then, the incidence of type 1 diabetes has increased by about four percent each year, and today 8.7 million people worldwide live with the disease. JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research, and our strength lies in our exclusive focus.

We support everyone living with type 1 diabetes by working with policymakers to improve access and availability of treatment, and by providing information and resources to help people manage their condition. The research we fund has led to new developments in diabetes technology and treatment and is laying the critical foundation for a cure.

JDRF's vision is a world without type 1 diabetes. How do you achieve this vision?

We are committed to eradicating type 1 diabetes by funding world-class research, including 70 clinical trials currently underway around the world testing new drugs and devices. We pool our resources in a global program that has invested more than £2 billion in research to date. We work with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies for people with type 1 diabetes. We have staff and volunteers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Israel, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without type 1 diabetes.

Can you tell us more about type 1 diabetes? How is type 1 diabetes different from type 2?

People are not born with type 1 diabetes. Instead, they lose their ability to produce insulin because their immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in their pancreas. To replace this insulin, people with type 1 diabetes need to take regular doses of insulin through injections or via an insulin pump. Once a person develops the disease, they will have it for the rest of their life. This can be physically and mentally unforgiving. People with type 1 diabetes must try to match the amount of insulin they give themselves to the amount of glucose in their blood. However, this is difficult to achieve and many experience fluctuations in blood sugar levels between hyperglycemia (very high) and hypoglycemia (very low).

In contrast, people with type 2 diabetes either don't produce enough insulin or the insulin they do produce doesn't work properly. The key difference is that type 2 diabetes is not caused by an immune system attack. Instead, there are several risk factors that contribute to its development, including family history, age and ethnic background, as well as lifestyle factors such as weight, diet and exercise. In addition to medication, type 2 diabetes can often be treated with a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes people with type 2 diabetes also need to take insulin. Both forms of diabetes can lead to serious heart, nerve, eye and kidney complications in the long term.

Since the exact causes of type 1 diabetes are not known, there are many myths surrounding the disease. What are some of the most common misconceptions about type 1 diabetes?

One myth we often hear is that type 1 diabetes is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle - especially too much sugar. That's simply not true. No one with type 1 diabetes did anything to cause their condition. We don't know exactly what causes her immune system to go awry and start attacking the insulin-producing cells in her pancreas. However, research is underway to identify the original cause of this vicious immune attack, with scientists investigating links to certain viruses and gut bacteria.

Another common misconception is that people with type 1 diabetes can't or shouldn't eat certain foods, such as those high in sugar. In fact, people with type 1 diabetes can eat whatever they want. They just need to make sure they are giving themselves the right amount of insulin to fit their diet.

Some people also mistakenly believe that people with type 1 diabetes cannot exercise. But there's no reason why they can't do the same exercise as others. They must first check that their blood sugar levels are stable and check them regularly during exercise. You may also need to have a snack before starting your workout. Many of our supporters with type 1 diabetes run the London Marathon every year, showing that they can do just as much exercise as people without the disease.

The incidence of diabetes is increasing every year. What are some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes that people should watch out for?

There are four key signs to look out for that could mean someone has type 1 diabetes. Make sure someone drinks lots of water and goes to the bathroom more often than usual. Also watch out for sudden and unexplained weight loss and extreme fatigue. An easy way to remember these symptoms is the 4Ts: Thirst, Toilet, Thinness and Fatigue. Everyone should be aware of these four symptoms because anyone can develop type 1 diabetes.

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JDRF research has not only led to new developments in diabetes technology and treatment, but has also set new frontiers toward one day finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Can you tell us more about some of the recent exciting research advances in diabetes?

For me, the most exciting advance toward a cure for type 1 diabetes is research into growing human insulin-producing cells (called beta cells) in the laboratory. Researchers around the world do this by encouraging human stem cells – cells that can grow into any other human cell – to grow into beta cells.

We are now at the stage where a clinical trial is taking place in Boston, USA, in which some of these laboratory-grown beta cells will be transplanted into people with type 1 diabetes. The company conducting the study is called Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and its researchers are closely monitoring their participants. They've already seen a huge reduction in the amount of insulin patients need to inject each day to keep their blood sugar levels stable, with one participant even becoming insulin independent 270 days after receiving the new cells. Having funded initial research examining whether beta cells could be created in a laboratory, we are incredibly excited to see the outcome of this groundbreaking study.

World Diabetes Day is celebrated annually on November 14th. What does World Diabetes Day mean for JDRF?

World Diabetes Day is our chance to attract the attention of the wider population and put type 1 diabetes on their agenda. By being in the spotlight, we can raise awareness of the signs of type 1 diabetes and its severity and life-threatening, highlight the differences between types of diabetes, and dispel common myths about type 1 diabetes. As a research-focused charity, we believe in the power of research. Therefore, our role in communicating breakthroughs to the public is crucial, and World Diabetes Day gives us the opportunity to reach a wider audience and inspire them about the importance of medical research.

Why is it so important to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes through world days like World Diabetes Day?

It is crucial to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes so that everyone knows the four key signs to look out for to help diagnose people earlier. One in four children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while in the midst of a potentially fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA occurs when a severe insulin deficiency leaves the body unable to use glucose for energy, so it begins to use fat instead. This process releases chemicals called ketones, which make the blood acidic and lead to coma and death if not treated immediately.

What's next for JDRF? Are there any exciting upcoming projects?

The most exciting news on the horizon is the first disease-modifying drug for type 1 diabetes. We are eagerly awaiting a decision from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the approval of an immunotherapy drug called teplizumab. JDRF has continuously funded the development and testing of this drug from the beginning. Revolutionary clinical trials funded by JDRF have shown Teplizumab can delay type 1 diabetes for up to three years. It targets the immune attack that causes the disease, making it the first disease-modifying drug for type 1 diabetes.

Additional immunotherapy drugs are now rapidly moving through clinical trials examining their use in preventing, treating and curing type 1 diabetes by protecting remaining or transplanted insulin-producing beta cells.

About Josie Clarkson

I am Research Communications Lead at JDRF UK. I have a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from the University of Nottingham and a master's degree in science communication from Imperial CollegeLondon. I have always been fascinated by what happens when things go wrong in the body and cause disease, and I am passionate about helping these people learn more about their condition.

A recent career highlight was attending the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) conference in Sweden, which was the first major in-person diabetes research conference since the pandemic. The conference was inspiring as so many of the world's leading researchers shared their exciting breakthroughs, from sophisticated integrated diabetes technology to promising clinical trial results for new treatments and cures. It was the beacon of positivity and hope we all needed after a challenging few years.

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