Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease that current treatment for most can only manage, never fix. It affects millions of people — many diagnosed as children — who then face a lifetime of daily burden and rising health risks, no matter how well they manage it.
Our research explores whether these cells can be replaced with pancreatic islets made from pluripotent stem cells. Using microscopy we study how these living implants develop and function after transplantation. In the future, this approach could help restore the body’s natural ability to sense glucose and release insulin, reducing dependence on insulin injections.
reNEW research
We turn pluripotent stem cells into pancreatic islets and transplant them into experimental models. After six months, we retrieve the grafts and use advanced microscopy to map their different cell types and organisation. This lets us study how the cells survive, mature and interact in their new environment, helping us understand what makes a stem-cell-derived islet functional and reliable enough to one day support cell replacement therapy for diabetes.
Image description
A six-month-old stem-cell-derived product: a colourful city of pancreatic cells.
Credits
Anne de Leeuw, Post-doc.
Carlotti lab, reNEW, Leiden.
