ITS

The Institute of Translational Stem Cell Research (ITS) aims to develop a new advanced cell therapy to carry out clinical studies in type 1 diabetes patients.

Research Concept

Basic science forms the foundations of most, if not all medical breakthroughs. To appreciate what goes awry in disease, we must fully understand how cells function in periods of homeostasis. In many epithelial organs, including the pancreas, tissue morphogenesis is inextricably tied to cell fate decisions. In our lab, we aim to understand the connection between epithelial architecture and the commitment of pancreatic progenitor cells to mature endocrine cells. We believe that to understand this process in a physiologically relevant manner, we must integrate findings from mouse and human pancreatic epithelia. Discoveries from our research are incredibly important for improving differentiation protocols that aim to provide functional, glucose-responsive beta cells for use in diabetes cellular therapies.

Our organs do a remarkable job day in and day out, without ourselves even having to think about it. Our body has its own ventilation system, a clearance system for toxins, and a system to balance energy homeostasis. But what if one of these systems…

The EU-funded ISLET project brings together leading experts in the field of stem cell research to discover a new advanced cell therapy in type 1 diabetes. The aim is to free patients from the daily use of an insulin pump by replacing the damaged…

Trigger in MODY3 diabetes: Insulin hypersecretion precedes pancreatic β cell failure

In order to treat patients with diabetes in the best possible way it is necessary to understand the disease mechanism. MODY type 3 (MODY3) is a monogenic hereditary form of diabetes, that is caused by a genetic defect in the HNF1A gene. The result is…