Our team studies cell differentiation and tissue regeneration
in the pancreas. Our aim is to find ways to generate insulin-producing
islet cells (beta cells) which can be used in cell transplantation
for diabetes patients. Alternatively, we seek to induce endogenous
beta cell regeneration in the diabetic pancreas by pharmacological
treatment. Diabetes is a major metabolic disease characterized
by an absolute (Type-1) or relative (Type-2) deficiency in number
of functional beta cells, the cells that regulate blood glucose
levels by secreting insulin.
The major issues that we investigate are:
We have developed in vivo and in vitro models to study beta cell
regeneration, cellular transdifferentiation, and stem cell differentiation.