U of A and partners announce $10 million campaign to fund diabetes research

On November 14, World Diabetes Day, the University of Alberta, the Alberta Diabetes Foundation (ADF), and the Diabetes Research Institute of Canada (DRIFCan) announced a $10 million campaign and partnership called Defeating Diabetes.

Speaking at the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, Peter Senior, director of the U of A Alberta Diabetes Institute (ADI), said the campaign will support “critical research.” Securing funding is often a barrier for diabetes researchers, he said. 

“Having unrestricted public funding from our community and partners like ADF allows our brilliant researchers the freedom and security to focus without distraction on answering the questions that have the ability to change lives.”

Part of this funding will support the research of Jean Buteau, a professor in the faculty of agricultural, life, and environmental sciences. Buteau has found a specialized pill that could help beta-cells regenerate, Senior said. Beta-cells produce insulin and are essential to maintaining healthy blood sugar. In a person with diabetes, these cells have died off or have stopped functioning properly.

“We’ve either tried to stop [beta-cells] being damaged or just replace them. The idea of making them be regenerated is a novel concept,” Senior said.

According to Senior, this would “pave the way for an entirely new class of treatments for diabetes.” He added this would be particularly significant for treating Type 1 diabetes. According to Senior, the main treatment option for Type 1 diabetes has been insulin for over 100 years.

In clinical trials, the pill has successfully treated and cured diabetes in mice. ADI will begin human clinical trials in the coming months.

Executive director of ADF “proud to be a partner” in Defeating Diabetes

Lindsay Burnham, executive director of ADF, said that ADF has been a long-time supporter of ADI’s research and the “world-changing” Edmonton Protocol. The Edmonton Protocol is an islet cell transplantation program, led by Dr. James Shapiro.

“As the research has evolved, so has our organization. Today I stand before you proud to be a partner in this $10 million campaign to defeat diabetes.”

For Burnham, there is a personal reason behind her motivation to help find a cure. Burnham lost her sister to diabetes.

“[I watched] her struggle and be unable to do those normal things that she should be doing at her age. Like graduating high school, which she wasn’t able to do. Learning to drive, heading off to college, getting a fiancé and getting married,” Burnham said. “It was heartbreaking for me and my family. I know she would have benefited from the amazing research happening right here in Alberta.”

“Insulin is not a cure. [It’s] a way to treat this disease and keep them alive until there is a cure,” DRIFCan executive director says

Melanie Hibbard, executive director of DRIFCan, began fundraising for diabetes research after her two sons were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as young children. For Hibbard, “to say finding a cure for my boys is top priority is an understatement.”

“This disease does not take a break. It is an invisible disease and most think because they have insulin, they have a cure. Insulin is not a cure. [It’s] a way to treat this disease and keep them alive until there is a cure,” Hibbard said.

DRIFCan was founded in 2005 to help fund the Edmonton Protocol and the work of Shapiro and his team.

“We are a grassroots organization that is working hard to support one of the most world-renowned researchers right here in the ADI. But we can’t do it alone. We need everyone’s help. That’s why it’s been so important to announce this amazing partnership,” Hibbard said.

“Today is World Diabetes Day. We in the diabetes community around the world celebrate Dr. Frederick Banting, the man who discovered insulin 102 years ago with an incredible group of researchers. One day soon we will have another name to celebrate. And it will be because of the amazing support this campaign has received and provided to the researchers here.”