Researchers are developing a two-part therapy for type 1 diabetes: lab-made insulin-producing cells paired with custom-engineered immune cells that protect them. The goal is to stop the immune system from destroying transplanted cells — without using immunosuppressive drugs. Backed by $1 million in funding, the team hopes to create a ready-to-use treatment that could work even for people who have had diabetes for years. The approach could transform how the disease is treated.
At the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), researcher Leonardo Ferreira, Ph.D., is leading an ambitious effort to change how type 1 diabetes (T1D) is treated. Backed by $1 million from Breakthrough T1D, a leading global research and advocacy organization, Ferreira and collaborators at partner institutions are testing a new strategy aimed at treating and potentially curing the disease.
Their approach brings together stem cell science, immunology, and transplantation research. The central goal is straightforward but bold: restore insulin-producing beta cells in people with T1D without requiring immunosuppressive drugs.
“These awards support the most promising work that can significantly advance the path to cures for type 1 diabetes,” said Ferreira. “This is what Breakthrough T1D believes is the next wave in type 1 diabetes therapy.”
Engineering the Immune System to Protect Insulin Cells
Ferreira specializes in modifying the immune system using chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs. These engineered receptors help guide regulatory T cells, known as Tregs, to specific targets in the body. Tregs play an essential role in keeping immune responses under control and preventing excessive damage, including the autoimmune attack seen in T1D. In simple terms, they act like bodyguards, preventing the immune system from going too far and harming healthy tissue.
He is working alongside two prominent collaborators. Holger Russ, Ph.D., associate professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Florida, is a leader in stem cell research for T1D. Many scientists view this field as the future of transplantation because stem cells can provide a virtually unlimited supply of islet cells for research and clinical use. Michael Brehm, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, completes the team. He is known for developing humanized mouse models that help researchers study human immune and metabolic responses in T1D.
By combining stem cell biology, gene editing, and immune regulation, the team is developing more than a single therapy. They are building a framework for teaching the body to repair itself. If successful, this work could eventually free patients from daily insulin injections and shift type 1 diabetes care from lifelong management to a true cure.
The implications extend beyond diabetes. Success could represent a major advance in regenerative medicine and immune based therapies.
“I think this can change how medicine is done,” Ferreira said. “Instead of treating symptoms, we can actually replace the missing cells. By doing this work, we are likely to further understand how T1D starts, how it develops and how it can be treated.”
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/
