Advances in Diabetes Research: The Miller School’s Presence at the EASD Annual Meeting
Summary
- Experts from the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine had a significant presence at the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting.
- Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi presented on glucosamine-mTORC1 signaling and beta cell dysfunction during glucotoxicity.
- The Miller School of Medicine’s Dr. Rodolfo Galindo presented on updated guidelines for hyperglycaemic crises, a dangerous complication from high blood sugar levels.
Experts from the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine exchanged research ideas, networked with colleagues and perused the 1,258 abstracts allocated to 176 sessions at the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting.
The event featured nearly 14,000 participants over the course of a week, with Miller School researchers having a significant presence, as noted by Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Miller School.
“EASD is one of the top conferences in our field, and it’s great to see such high-level participation from the division and DRI in various ways,” Dr. Bernal-Mizrachi said. “Here, we have the opportunity to show and discuss our expertise and achievements on a global scale, bringing us closer to more breakthroughs with our international colleagues.”
Examining Intraislet Mechanisms in Diabetes
During the meeting, Luciana Goncalves, Ph.D., assistant scientist in the Miller School’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism who works under the mentorship of Joana Almaca, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Miller School, presented on endocrine-vascular coupling in the pancreatic islet and its impact on blood flow. Dr. Goncalves’ presentation examines how the interactions between endocrine cells and islet vasculature influences blood flow and, in turn, impacts overall islet function.
“Our research shows that islet functional hyperemia, mediated by pericytes, is important for proper islet function and glucose homeostasis,” said Dr. Goncalves, a trainee in the Breakthrough T1D research and advocacy program. “We found that beta cell activation inhibits pericytes activity and changes islet blood flow dynamics. Importantly, we observed that islet pericyte function is impaired before type 1 diabetes onset. Understanding the crosstalk of beta cells-pericytes in health islets can shade a new light on our comprehension of type 1 diabetes pathogenesis.”
Dr. Bernal-Mizrachi contributed to diabetes cell research in collaboration with Dr. Gil Leibowitz from Haddassah Medical Center/Hebrew University in Israel, presenting on glucosamine-mTORC1 signaling and beta cell dysfunction during glucotoxicity. Dr. Bernal-Mizrachi provided valuable insights into the mechanisms that contribute to impaired insulin production and the progression of diabetes. This research highlights potential avenues for therapeutic intervention using SGLT2 inhibitors to target cellular signaling pathways and improve beta cell health.
Honoring Research in Type 1 Diabetes
For more than five decades, Jay Skyler, M.D., professor of medicine at the Miller School and deputy director for clinical research and academic programs at the DRI, has advanced research in type 1 diabetes. His contributions to the field were honored with an honorary lifetime membership award.
“It’s a unique achievement to receive this award, as those who are selected have been around for an extended period contributing to diabetes research,” Dr. Skyler said.
Dr. Skyler is an expert in the study of immune intervention in type 1 diabetes and one of four individuals to receive honorary lifetime membership to the EASD this year. He chaired a session at the EASD conference about two INNODIA Consortium studies. The first examined the use of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) at a lower dose to preserve beta-cell function in individuals with type 1 diabetes. The second study focused on the effects of verapamil on beta cell health in adults.
“I think these are the two most important studies presented at EASD,” Dr. Skyler said. “The potential to reduce side effects with lower doses of ATG is tremendous and opens the door for potentially more specific and effective drugs. In turn, we can have better combination therapies in people with type 1 diabetes.”
Hyperglycemic Crises
For the first time since 2009, new updates were available on hyperglycemic crises, a dangerous complication from high blood sugar levels. The EASD committee invited Rodolfo Galindo, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Miller School, to present on the topic in a meet-the-expert session.
“We are honored with the invitation to present on the new hyperglycaemic guidelines,” Dr. Galindo said. “We were working on this collaborative project between colleagues from the U.S., representing ADA, and from Europe, representing EASD, for over three years, since the last update was in 2009.”
Key points from the presentation centered on the updated definition of diabetes ketoacidosis, new criteria for diagnosis, an updated management algorithm and evidence on the management of hyperglycaemic crises in special populations.
Tags: blood sugar, diabetes, Diabetes Research Institute, Division of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi, Dr. Jay Skyler, Dr. Rodolfo Galindo, metabolism and diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes