Month: October 2023

For many families newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), Halloween can feel overwhelming – a holiday centered on candy when you’re just figuring out carb counting and nutrition. However, with the right tools and knowledge, Halloween can and should be just as fun for your child.

Here are some helpful tips for having a T1D scare-free Halloween!

Make A Plan

Plan ahead to help make a potentially challenging holiday manageable. It’s important to make sure that teachers, neighbors, and temporary caregivers all know how to handle the abundance of snacks and excitement. Things they should know include:

• The amount of candy you are comfortable with your child consuming
• How you plan to manage insulin dosing based on activity level, blood glucose readings, and treats
• Any foods they should avoid due to allergies or gluten intolerance
• The symptoms of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) and high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) and how to treat each
• A parent or guardian’s contact information

Trick-or-Treating

Running around during the evening hours may not be a part of your child’s typical routine. Here are a few tips to ensure that trick-or-treat outgoings go smoothly:

• The activity and excitement around trick-or-treating can cause low blood glucose, so talk to your diabetes healthcare team about setting a lower temporary basal rate to account for the extra nighttime exercise.
• Cooler temperatures can contribute to low blood glucose. Regardless of the type of costume, make sure your child stays warm.
• No matter how complicated the costume, pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGM) should be easily accessible. Find a place for your child’s insulin pump and CGM under their costume. There are a variety of products designed to hold T1D supplies and gear to make the outing easier for everyone.
• Have a plan for eating candy and other foods while trick-or-treating.
• Take inventory! Sneakily consumed candy could be the explanation for elevated Halloween blood glucose levels. All of those treats can be tempting.

Halloween Treat Alternatives

People with T1D should enjoy Halloween treats, but it’s also an opportunity to get creative!

• Save some candy for treating lows. Candies that have dextrose as a key ingredient, like Skittles, are great for quickly bringing up blood glucose. Candies with higher fat content, like chocolate bars, are not ideal for treating lows.
• Turn some of your child’s pile of candy into “currency” they can use to “buy” a book, toy, computer time, or other fun activity. You can donate this uneaten candy, so it’s win-win.
• Give back to others! Food banks and groups fighting hunger will often accept candy donations.

Have fun! Halloween should be a blast for all kids, including those with T1D. We hope these tips and tricks ensure your Halloween is fun, not frightful!

Once again in 2023, David Garfinkle and Steven Mitchell – along with a team of supporters rallied Canadians to come together to support type 1 diabetes (T1D) research by committing to pick up their clubs this summer and join the JDRF Golf Challenge.

The JDRF Golf Challenge has its roots in the JDRF Golf Marathon, first started forty years ago by David and Steven in the early 80s. They revived the event in 2022, and from that came this year’s Golf Challenge.

From August 13-20, (and throughout the year) players from across the country and around the world were invited to tee off for T1D and take up the JDRF Golf Challenge to play a collective 11,000 holes of golf in support of the approximately 11,000 Canadians who will be diagnosed with T1D this year.

The challenge couldn’t have been simpler. Play a round (or several) of 18 holes, go marathon-style and play from dusk till dawn, hit the driving range or even take the family to mini putt, the event was open to any golfer of any skillset to play in support of accelerating the most promising T1D research.

Thank you to all that participated in this year’s Golf Challenge and Tournaments.

Events were held and participants Teed Off for T1D across the country (and even around the world with an event taking place in Dubai!). Together participants raised an outstanding over $200K and counting!

Thank you as well to our:

• Top Fundraising Teams – Dude Where is my Par, the Dubai Mighty Ballers and Fore Amigos
• Top Fundraisers – Adam Rockman of Quebec and Tanner Smook (Manitoba) and Jonathan Garfinkle (Quebec)
• Our Committee – David Garfinkle, Steven Mitchell, Zoe Bowen, Tracey Beasley-Allison and Honorary members Max Domi and Kaleb Dahlgren
• Our matching donor – David Garfinkle
• Our Partners –Corporate Champion– Richter, Family Office and Community Partner- Muskoka Bay Resort & Spa

This was truly a collective effort and JDRF is so grateful to everyone who contributed, whether by volunteering, contributing, or playing golf. Plans are already underway for a new event in 2024.

Dr. Sing-Young Chen is a postdoctoral researcher at the JDRF Centre of Excellence at the University of British Columbia, and the second annual recipient of a J. Andrew McKee Fellowship in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), jointly funded by JDRF Canada and the Stem Cell Network (SCN) based at the JDRF Centre of Excellence at the University of British Columbia (UBC).  

JDRF had the pleasure of connecting with Dr. Chen to congratulate her on her new fellowship and discuss her research.   

Tell us a little bit more about your background.  

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney, studying biochemistry and physiology. During my undergraduate studies, I was fortunate to take part in a summer research program at Vanderbilt University, which is when I first became interested in islet biology. Then, I did my PhD at the University of New South Wales, where I studied obesity and obesity-related diseases, with a focus on physiology and drug development.

I’m now at UBC for my postdoctoral training where I am investigating sex differences in islet responses to stress, with the hope of developing novel treatments for type 1 diabetes.

What brought you to Vancouver?  

I wanted to work with the researchers at UBC as I had followed their work for a while, and I knew the T1D research there was very strong, and I wanted to be a part of that. I was pleased to find that, coming here, I knew immediately that it was the right move. From the start, I learned so much and I’m learning more every day.

What drew you to type 1 diabetes?  

It was really a combination of scientific curiosity and the desire to do something that helps people in the world.

In terms of scientific curiosity, I learned early in my career that I had a particular interest in beta cells and pancreatic islets. If we stop to think about it, it’s actually so incredible that beta-cells can make so much insulin in response to nutrients and other stimuli and they do it so well, in such a controlled way. From a purely scientific viewpoint, they are endlessly fascinating.

But from a human perspective, I know that working on this has real meaning for real people, and like all scientists, I wanted to do something meaningful. I have friends who live with T1D, and I have only glimpsed how challenging it can be. Knowing my work may one day help them and others like them is a very special thing.

What are you planning on investigating at the JDRF Center of Excellence at UBC?  

My research focuses on understanding sex differences in beta-cell resilience to stresses associated with T1D.

In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-secreting beta-cells are subject to many stresses – for example, they are attacked by the immune system and there is a high demand for insulin. Pancreatic islets from females are more resilient to these stresses than islets from males and can survive to keep making insulin. My research seeks to understand and leverage these sex differences with a view to develop cell therapies that will thrive in a T1D environment.

 How is the JDRF-SCN fellowship going to impact your research?  

The Fellowship truly makes the research possible. Science is a team sport that involves a lot of networking and collaboration, and I’ve been really pleasantly surprised at all the resources and expertise that we can draw upon at both the JDRF Centre of Excellence and through SCN. It really helps us not to be limited and therefore be able to go where the science takes us.

Sometimes I’m in a meeting with my supervisors and they’ll just say, “Oh Francis Lynn* can answer that”, or “we can ask Bruce Verchere*”, and it’s so special that all this knowledge is accessible in this way.

 *T1D researchers at the JDRF Centre of Excellence

What were some of the more surprising aspects or challenges of your research?   

I’ve always been aware that the literature has a sort of bias in different fields. For example, I knew that lots of pre-existing research that only use mice of a single biological sex, but I didn’t realize how extensive the problem was and that historically most research almost never incorporated both sexes in the early stages (before in-human clinical trials). This has also often been the case with diabetes research. We’re missing so much information.

And on another note, I’ve learned that it’s surprising how much you need to get proper sleep! Science is so detail-oriented and it’s so much more important than even I realized to be well-rested.

What are some of your favourite aspects of what you do as a researcher? 

I’m so appreciative to have constant opportunities for learning and collaborating – and being able to make a difference in the world. The freedom to be able to explore and realize there are no limits to curiosity and learning.

It’s rare to have a career where you get to learn every day and realize that your curiosity can take you to places you never expected.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the JDRF Community?  

I’m so grateful to be here and to have the opportunity to both do important and meaningful work and continue to grow and learn as a researcher and scientist. As researchers, and as human beings, we all play a small part so that together we can accomplish great things. I realize I’ve been incredibly fortunate with the opportunities and education that I’ve had, and I’m committed to contribute as best as I can to our mission.

In a coordinated release of information today, Dr. Kevan Herold (Yale University) presented the PROTECT clinical trial results at the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) conference simultaneous to the release of the published article in the New England Journal of Medicine, and a press release issued by Sanofi (who acquired Provention Bio in April 2023). The PROTECT trial investigated whether teplizumab (brand name: TZIELD) can delay the progression of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in newly diagnosed (stage 3 T1D) children and adolescents ages 8-17. Based on the results, it can.

Over 300 participants took part in the study, with 217 receiving teplizumab and 111 receiving a placebo treatment. The results showed:

• TZIELD was effective at helping to keep the beta cells working better, as shown by something called C-peptide, which is a measure of how well beta cells are functioning.
• Participants taking TZIELD needed slightly less insulin, and had slightly improved time-in-range compared to the placebo group, however, these results weren’t statistically significant.
• Tzield has the potential to slow the progression of Stage 3 T1D in newly diagnosed individuals

“This new study shows that Tzield can slow down the autoimmune attack on insulin-producing beta cells in children and adolescents newly diagnosed with T1D,” said Sarah Linklater, PhD, JDRF Canada’s Chief Scientific Officer.

“This is new evidence that we can successfully intervene during this window of opportunity right after diagnosis – a critical step towards cures. Slowing down progression also provides important health benefits for individuals with T1D in the short- and long term. We applaud Provention Bio and Sanofi’s ongoing dedication to advancing disease-modifying therapies for individuals with T1D. JDRF continues to support a large amount of research on disease-modifying therapies as there is enormous potential for these types of treatments to benefit people living with the condition.”

JDRF has supported the development of teplizumab for nearly 30 years, which includes contributions through research grants, federal funding via the Special Diabetes Program, a strategic investment by the JDRF T1D Fund that brought Provention Bio into T1D for the first time, and more.

Currently, TZIELD is only approved in the U.S. by the FDA for use in individuals with stage 2 T1D (pre-diagnosis), which is identified via screening. The use of TZIELD in individuals within 6-weeks of T1D diagnosis (within stage 3) has not been submitted for approval to any regulator.

JDRF Canada will continue to monitor ongoing news of Tzield and will provide updates as they become available.

Training the next generation of researchers and clinicians in type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a central goal of JDRF’s global research strategy. Support of these emerging leaders is essential to ensure continued momentum in T1D research, and to facilitate translation of today’s evidence into tomorrow’s improved treatments and cures. JDRF seeks to attract and retain the brightest minds into the T1D field throughout their journeys to becoming independent researchers.

Research trainees are typically considered any researchers who are not yet independently conducting research. This can include students pursuing master’s degrees or Ph.D.’s, postdoctoral fellows, or junior clinician researchers. Trainees are in many ways the engine that drives research forward, as they are often the ones actively conducting the hands-on research activities in the lab or interacting with patients in the clinic.

The process

The journey to becoming an independent researcher can be long and challenging – and requires substantial funding to support. After a bachelor’s degree, which takes 3-4 years of undergraduate university courses, a trainee can enroll in a research-based master’s degree. This is typically 2-3 years and consists of coursework, independent research overseen closely by a supervisor (a university professor in a faculty position), and a thesis project. Some programs allow a master’s student to transition to a Ph.D. program after 1-year, otherwise PhD enrollment occurs following completion of a master’s degree. In Canada, a Ph.D. program is 4-5 years where students delve deeply into a specific research area, conducting original research, collaborating with mentors and peers, and presenting their findings at conferences. They complete coursework, pass comprehensive exams, and write a dissertation that contributes new knowledge to their field.

Research trainees may also be on the pathway to becoming a clinician-scientist (i.e., a practicing physician that also conducts research). In this case trainees will complete a bachelor’s degree, medical school, and then during their residency training they can do research fellowships or a clinician investigator program. They will split their time between clinical training and research training, often towards the pursuit of a master’s or Ph.D. (alongside their M.D.).

The contribution

Not only do trainees conduct much of the hands-on research that is led by an independent researcher, but they often bring new skills, fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the lab. Their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints can lead to novel approaches and creative solutions to research questions. Trainees contribute by conducting comprehensive literature reviews to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field. They analyze existing research to identify gaps, refine hypotheses, and design experiments that build upon previous work. Trainees often manage specific projects within the lab and play an essential role in publication of the research (i.e., manuscripts or journal articles). As trainees progress in their careers, more experienced trainees may take on mentorship roles for newer members of the lab. They provide guidance, support, and training, fostering a culture of learning and growth. Trainee positions are typically funded from research grants, fellowships, and awards. JDRF supports trainees in many ways – through dedicated awards specifically given to trainees for salary and research support, research grants to established researchers that are often used to support the trainees conducting the awarded research, and by partnering with programs such as CIRTN to extend government funds to trainees.

In 2022, donor funding supported over 40 research grants via JDRF. These funds largely support the primary costs of research – personnel.   Over the approximately 40 grants, JDRF funds supported: ·        33 postdoctoral fellows; ·        47 PhD students; ·        21 Master’s students; and ·        15 professional trainees including laboratory technicians. “Trainees are the lifeblood of laboratory research, driving innovation and expanding the horizons of scientific discovery. Having been involved with JDRF’s fundraisers since my childhood diagnosis of T1D, and now being a trainee in a JDRF-funded laboratory, I understand firsthand the immense value of their unwavering support. Research funding from organizations like JDRF is pivotal in not only sustaining but also nurturing the next generation of scientists at the heart of the laboratory. This unique privilege, coupled with my deep personal connection to JDRF, has not only enriched our scientific endeavors but also fuels the promise of a future where breakthroughs in diabetes treatment and prevention are well within our reach.” – Lindsay Pallo, PhD Candidate at the University of British Columbia funded in part by the JDRF Centre of Excellence and research grants to supervisor Dr. Bruce Verchere.

Career Development

While research is the central focus for trainees, career development and mentorship are integral parts of training. The eventual goal is for a trainee to establish an independent research position, whether that is as a university professor, a clinician scientist, or working within industry and private research.

The transition from trainee to independent position can be very difficult. Research funding is primarily obtained through competitive grants that rely on a past history of research funding – success begets success. JDRF helps to support this transition by funding newly independent researchers with Career Development Awards. These multi-year awards support the investigators newly independent research program, with support for new equipment, resources, and salary support where needed. In the case of clinician-scientists awards (ECRA), the funding protects the investigators time for research activities so that they can dedicate their limited resources to research rather than clinical practice while getting established.

Advancing Cell Replacement Therapy – Dr. Andrew Pepper “With the critical support of JDRF, my laboratory will strive to preserve the legacy of the Edmonton Protocol while ushering in a new era of cellular transplantation,” Andrew Pepper, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Alberta and recipient of a JDRF Career Development Award.

Examining Barriers to Diabetes Technology – Dr. Alanna Weisman “I believe our research will identify areas for improvement for governments, health care providers, and those living with type 1 diabetes. I hope we may see some policy changes to make technologies easier for all to access.” – Alanna Weisman, MD, PhD, Endocrinologist and Clinician-Scientist, Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes; Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto

Why put donor dollars towards training?

Funding trainees is one of the greatest ‘bang for our buck’ investments JDRF can make!  Trainee contributions to ongoing research is invaluable, and JDRF’s carefully selected trainees often become future superstars in the T1D field, who go on to mentor their own outstanding trainees.  By funding trainees and encouraging them to stay within the field of T1D research, your dollars are helping us ensure that the future of T1D research is bright.

To support these future leaders of T1D research, please contact Jen Bavli at jbavli@jdrf.ca

For more information on JDRF Canada supported research trainees, please contact research@jdrf.ca

Where are they now?

Researcher	Trainee Award	Current Position
Dr. Heather Denroche	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2017) & Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-2022)	Director of Preclinical Development, Integrated Nanotherapeutics, Inc. Developing new nanomedicines to treat immune diseases such as T1D.
Dr. Adriana Migliorini	Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-2021)	Research associate, McEwen Stem Cell Institute (University Health Network) Developing human pluripotent stem cells as a source of insulin-producing cells for people living with T1D.
Dr. Dan Luciani	Career Development Award (2013-2019)	Associate professor, University of British Columbia researching stem cell-derived beta cells
Dr. Anne Pesenacker	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2017), CCTN Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017-2018)	Career Development Fellow, University College London, UK Researching autoimmune function in arthritis and T1D.
Dr. Yasaman Aghazadeh	CCTN Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016-2017)	Assistant Professor, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM)
Dr. Ahmad Haidar	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013-2016)	Associate professor, McGill University Researching diabetes technologies and insulin therapies
Dr. Francis Lynn	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2007-2010) & Career Development Award (2011-2016)	Associate professor, University of British Columbia; Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital; Research Lead, JDRF Centre of Excellence at UBC Stem cell therapies for T1D cures.
Dr. Emmeline Heffernan	CCTN Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2016)	Pediatrician, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
Dr. Kate Verbeeten	CCTN Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-2019)	Pediatric endocrinologist, private practice, Toronto
Dr. Ashish Marwaha	CCTN Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2015)	Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, geneticist researching basic immunology and member of CanScreenT1D: JDRF-CIHR Screening Research Consortium
Dr. Jennifer Bruin	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2011-2015)	Associate Professor, Carleton University Environmental factors affecting T1D development
Dr. Pat MacDonald	Career Development Award (2009-2014)	Professor, University of Alberta; Canada Research Chair in Islet Biology; Director of Alberta Diabetes Institute IsletCore; lead of the Canadian Islet Research and Training Network (CIRTN) researching insulin production from islet cells
Dr. Reza B. Jalili	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2011-2014)	Director of In Vivo Sciences, Aspect Biosystems Developing immunoprotective biomaterials.
Dr. James Surapisitchat	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010-2012)	Regional Medical Scientific Director of Oncology at Merck Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Majid Mojibian	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010-2012)	In Vivo Modelling Lead, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Dr. Pedro Geraldes	Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009-2012)	Professor, Université de Sherbrooke; Canada Research Chair in Diabetes and Vascular Complications
Dr. Sylvie Lesage	Career Development Award (2008-2011)	Professor, Université de Montréal researching genetics of immune system cell populations
Dr. James Johnson	Career Development Award (2005-2010)	Professor, University of British Columbia; Research Lead, JDRF Centre of Excellence at UBC researching islet biology
Dr. Cristina Nostro	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2008-2010)	Senior Scientist at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute (University Health Network); Associate Professor, University of Toronto. Stem cell therapies for T1D cures.
Dr. Lucy Marzban	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2005-2007)	Associate professor, University of Manitoba researching beta cell death
Dr. Tim Kieffer	Career Development Award (2001-2006)	Professor, University of British Columbia researching stem cell-derived beta cells
Dr. Gregory Korbutt	Career Development Award (2000-2005)	Professor, University of Alberta; Scientific Director, Alberta Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility; and a member of the original Edmonton Protocol team.
Dr. Janette Dufour	Postdoctoral Fellowship (2001-2003)	Professor, Texas Tech University Researching protective options for islet transplantation cells

Hamilton, ON, Canada and New York, NY – On October 3, 2023, Allarta Life Science, a Hamilton, Ontario-based regenerative medicine company announced it has received an award from JDRF International (JDRF Canada’s parent organization), that could amount to US$800,000 upon completion of research and development milestones.

Allarta was co-founded in 2019 by McMaster University Chemistry Professor Dr. Harald Stover and STEM leader Maria Antonakos, MBA, and uses polymer science and novel hydrogels to advance cell therapies for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

A large area of cure based T1D research is investigating cell therapy. The goal of cell therapy is to replace beta cells that are destroyed in a person with T1D, thereby allowing them to produce insulin again. This would lessen or eliminate the amount of external insulin required by someone living with T1D (either by injection, pen, or pump) for years or even decades.

One of the primary hurdles to cell therapies becoming a reality for people with T1D is the need for ongoing, systemic immunosuppression medication (similar to an organ transplant like a kidney or liver). To solve this problem, Allarta has developed a hydrogel platform that offers immune protection for transplanted beta cells. Allarta’s competitive advantage lies in its synthetic hydrogels designed to allow good metabolic connection of transplanted cells while protecting them from the hosts’ immune system.

The grant will directly fund Allarta’s ongoing work to increase durability and avoid the need for systemic immune suppression in current islet and beta cell transplantations to cure T1D. Pre-clinical studies will be conducted with porcine islets and stem cell-derived beta cells to determine if they can survive without immunosuppression.

“Protecting transplanted cells from immune rejection without the use of chronic systemic immunosuppression remains one of the primary barriers to the broad application of islet cell therapies to cure type 1 diabetes. Addressing it is a key priority for JDRF so that these therapies can be fully implemented,” said Jaime Giraldo, Ph.D., Associate Director of Research at JDRF International. “Allarta’s approach is well-aligned with our research strategy, and we look forward to working with them on testing the ability of these unique materials to protect implanted insulin-producing cells following transplantation.”

JDRF Canada is very excited to see a Canadian company as the recipient of this industry grant and one at the forefront of cutting-edge stem cell technology as a possible cure for type 1 diabetes. We will report on any results of the pre-clinical studies as they become available.

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About JDRF Canada  
JDRF Canada is the leading charitable organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research in Canada. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, governments, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout Canada and five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our shared vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.ca

Media Contact:  
Ruth Kapelus
National Content and Media Relations Manager, JDRF Canada 
T. 647.789.2322 
E. rkapelus@jdrf.ca 
235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 1201 Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8 
jdrf.ca 

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