
Show Notes
In someone without diabetes, blood sugars are controlled by a hormone called insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels, and is produced by cells in the pancreas called beta cells. If someone is at risk of developing diabetes, their beta cells can't produce enough insulin, which puts the beta cells under stress. The beta cells try to adapt, but if this fails, a vicious cycle begins.
On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Dan Luciani about beta cells and his lab’s work to better understand them. Dr. Luciani is an investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver, and an associate professor in the Department of Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.
More from Diabetes Canada Podcast
Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, is one of the most feared complications of type 1 diabetes. That’s why researchers are looking for new and innovative ways to increase awareness of what DKA is and how it can be prevented.
How can we change the conversation about diabetes? For Diabetes Awareness Month, that’s a question Diabetes Canada is tackling head on.
As technology in type 1 diabetes becomes more advanced, we are starting to see an increase in personalized therapies. Whether someone is using hybrid closed loop or multiple daily injections, there are options being studied to make living with diabetes easier to manage.
Beta cells play a big role in diabetes, and what we know about them continues to evolve.
Diabetes and heart disease are deeply connected – that’s why research into new and innovative treatments is so important.