Innovative Cell replacement therapy for diabetes

The research group leading by Prof. Sarah Ferber  develops a novel therapeutic approach, substituting malfunctioning organs with new functional tissues created from our own existing organs.

The present approach allows the diabetic patient to be the donor of his own therapeutic tissue.

The group proposes an innovative therapy for diabetes - a new technology for regeneration of functional insulin-producing cells, thus enabling normal glucose regulated insulin secretion, via cell therapy. By using a therapeutic agent (i.e., PDX-1, or additional pancreatic transcription factors in adenovirus-vector) that efficiently converts a sub-population of liver cells into pancreatic islets phenotype and function.

Our future view is to offer a total solution for millions diabetic patients worldwide by inducing long term insulin independence.

The cell replacement therapy for diabetes paradigm. Liver cells (Hepatocytes) are obtained by liver biopsy from a donor or patient with diabetes cultured and expanded ex vivo, transduced with a pdx-1virus, transdifferentiated into functioning, insulin-producing beta cells, and then transplanted into a patient with diabetes.

Taken from Stewart PNAS 2005