September 2007 eUpdate
Research News
UCSF researchers achieve success in genetically reprogramming cells to their embryonic state
A team of researchers including Miguel Ramalho-Santos, Ph.D., a UCSF Fellow and member of the Diabetes Center, have reported that they have improved a technique for genetically reprogramming mouse cells to become embryonic stem cells. By over-expressing a combination of genes in mouse skin cells, the mouse cells begin to lose their adult functions and function like they did in their embryonic state. The next step – perfecting cell reprogramming in human cells – will help in the study of human disease development and may lead to the creation of patient-specific stem cell based therapies that have the potential of saving lives. [ more ]
Researcher-clinician part of inaugural class to receive NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
Feroz Papa, M.D., Ph.D. was awarded a prestigious New Innovator Award, one of only 29 investigators nationwide who received this award. The NIH created this new award to help stimulate highly innovative research and support promising new investigators. Dr. Papa’s lab will receive $1.5 million over five years, the maximum amount for this award category. Dr. Papa and his colleagues are developing new therapies for diabetes using molecular tools to prevent the buildup of malfunctioning proteins in insulin-producing beta cells. ( Learn more about Dr. Papa’s research in a previous issue of eUpdate. ) Besides being a member of the Diabetes Center, Dr. Papa is a UCSF Assistant Professor of Medicine and an investigator in the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3). He also treats patients with diabetes at San Francisco General Hospital. [ more ]
Clinical News
Diabetes Teaching Center launches first phase of new educational website
A new educational resource for diabetes is now available on the Internet, thanks to the UCSF Diabetes Teaching Center (DTC). This week, the type 1 section of the UCSF Diabetes Education Online (DEO) was launched at http://www.dtc.ucsf.edu/ , and, within months, the portion focused on type 2 diabetes will also go live. Led by DTC Medical Director Martha Nolte (Division of Endocrinology) and Marlene Bedrich (Medical Center, DTC), the interdisciplinary team involved in the project included Gloria Yee (Medical Center, DTC). Linda White (Department of Nutrition), Lisa Kroon (School of Pharmacy), Marina Demetsky (Medical Center, DTC), UCSF Public Affairs and Wen Chao of Watermark. Special thanks to the following foundations and individuals for their financial support of this project: The Joseph Drown Foundation; Robert and Michelle Friend; Donna and Ephraim Greenwall; The Koret Foundation; The Bernard Osher Foundation; Elana Weinstein; Will Weinstein. [ more ]
Clinical diabetes fellowship program launched by generous family
Longtime Diabetes Center volunteers, Bobbie and Michael Wilsey, approached Diabetes Center Director, Dr. Jeffrey Bluestone, and Diabetes Teaching Center Medical Director, Dr. Martha Nolte, to express interest in supporting UCSF’s diabetes clinical efforts. All parties agreed that the most effective use of their $250,000 gift would be to establish a clinical diabetes fellowship program in the adult clinic. The newly created Bobbie C. and Michael W. Wilsey Fellowship Program will help provide new doctors with comprehensive diabetes training in a clinical environment, as well as exposure to clinical research in diabetes. Our sincerest thanks to the Wilsey Family for their ongoing support of the Diabetes Center.
News & Notes
Donor registry registers 1.6 million of 36 million Californians in first year -- yet not enough
A year ago, the California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry linked up with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to register organ and/or tissue donors – at the DMV or by encouraging sign-up online at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.com. Yet, over 20,000 people are still awaiting life-saving organ transplants here in California, making our state first among all states in the number of waiting list candidates. Tragically, one-third of these people could die waiting. Every person who signs up has the potential of saving eight lives as an organ donor -- and improving up to 50 other lives as a tissue donor. For more information: [ California Residents ] [ Other State Residents ]
Lace up your sneakers and walk for diabetes this fall
It’s that time of year! Thousands of families, friends, companies, and organizations are uniting for one common goal -- to support their loved ones who are battling diabetes. By participating in your local Walk this fall, you can help fund critically important research in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As one of many research organizations who benefit from these dollars, we wish to thank the dedicated volunteers and staff of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for their heroic efforts to deFEET diabetes.
To sign up to walk in your neighborhood OR to make a donation, we encourage you to visit these websites:
American Diabetes Association (ADA) {click here}
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) {click here}
UCSF’s endocrinology specialty ranks high in “America’s Best Hospitals” survey
In the annual US News and World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” issue (July 2007), the UCSF Medical Center ranked seventh (#7) of 173 “best” hospitals selected (of a total of 5,462 medical centers reviewed). Endocrinology at UCSF was ranked fourth (#4) in its specialty category. According to the magazine, hospitals that make the list often pioneer new treatment guidelines, conduct clinical research, and exploit the latest advances in imaging, surgical devices and other technologies. [ more ]
Clinical Trials
The Diabetes Center at UCSF is among the premier institutions for clinical trials of emerging therapies in diabetes. Numerous clinical trials in type 1 and 2 diabetes are now underway.
Interested in participating? A sample of our trials currently enrolling patients:
Type 1 Diabetes: T Cell Assay Study Seeking volunteers, 18 years of age and older, within 12 months of diagnosis [ more ]
Type 1 Diabetes: Thymoglobulin Intervention Study Seeking volunteers, 12 to 35 years of age, with new onset type 1 diabetes [ more ]
Type 1 Diabetes: Islet Transplantation with Raptiva
Seeking volunteers 18 and older, with type 1 diabetes and weighing less than 175 lbs [ more ]
Type 2 Diabetes: Effect of Exenatide and/or Rosiglitazone Therapy on Insulin Resistance Seeking volunteers with type 2 diabetes, between the ages of 18 and 75 years old, having an HbA1c of 7.0% and 10.0%, and on Glucophage (Metformin) [ more ]
For more opportunities, visit the Clinical Trials Section of our website, or contact our Clinical Trials Recruitment Coordinator at kfraser@diabetes.ucsf.edu.