New funding to explore how microRNAs affect insulin-producing beta cells

Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge has announced funding for a cutting-edge research project which could bring us closer to a cure for type 1 diabetes.

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, a trailblazing partnership between the Steve Morgan Foundation, Diabetes UK, and Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) has announced funding for a research project led by researchers at Imperial College London and Helmholtz Munich.

"This research will use pioneering molecular and cellular biology techniques to explore whether microRNAs contribute to beta cell differences." Dr Aida Martinez-Sanchez Senior Lecturer, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction

Imperial's Dr Aida Martinez-Sanchez and Dr Prashant Srivastava, along with Dr Teresa Rodriguez-Calvo from Helmholtz Munich, will study how microRNAs (miRNAs) - tiny molecules in our cells that switch different genes on and off and change how the cell works - affect the function and survival of insulin-producing beta cells.

In London, around 31,160 people live with type 1 diabetes, a condition where beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system. Differences in miRNAs might explain why some beta cells are more vulnerable to the immune system’s attack, and why beta cells produced from stem cells by scientists in the lab currently don't function as well as natural beta cells.

Beta cell therapies

By understanding how miRNAs impact beta cell survival and function, this work could help develop high-performing, lab-grown beta cells that are more resistant to immune attack and rejection, ultimately paving the way for long-lasting, effective beta cell therapies for people with type 1 diabetes.

Beta cell therapies are being developed to help people with type 1 diabetes make their own insulin again. It is hoped these will eliminate the need for multiple daily insulin injections or insulin pumps, constant blood sugar monitoring and help to prevent the devasting complications of type 1 diabetes. Developing beta cell therapies that are also resistant to the type 1 immune attack could help prolong their effectiveness and reduce the need for immunosuppressant drugs.

Dr Aida Martinez-Sanchez, Senior Lecturer at Imperial's Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, said: “MicroRNAs are tiny molecules essential for keeping insulin-producing beta cells alive and well. However, not all beta cells are the same—some are more resistant to immune attack, while others are more vulnerable. Also, some beta cells are better at releasing insulin than others.

"In this project, we will use pioneering molecular and cellular biology techniques to explore whether microRNAs contribute to these differences. Identifying which miRNAs to manipulate could help us to grow the very best beta cells in the lab. The complex methodologies we’re developing have the potential to form the basis of future research in other important aspects of beta cell biology, such as how to reduce the risk of transplant rejection, or delay or prevent beta cell destruction in type 1 diabetes.”

Unprecedented funding for innovative projects

The funding comes from the unprecedented £50 million investment from the Steve Morgan Foundation, which is supporting pioneering and multidisciplinary teams of researchers to develop new treatments and cures for type 1 diabetes.

Imperial College London is one of four universities leading the new projects, joining the Universities of Oxford, Exeter, and Cambridge who have also been awarded grants totalling over £1 million.

Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said: “These high-risk, high-reward, innovative projects exemplify the transformative potential of the research funded by the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. Bold, cutting-edge approaches, like exploring the impact tiny microRNA molecules could have on beta cell transplants, help us to step closer to revolutionising the way type 1 diabetes is treated and improving the lives of those affected by the condition.”

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at Breakthrough T1D, said:  “We are thrilled to see the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge powering this innovative research. This project at Imperial College London exemplifies the kind of groundbreaking work that can happen when scientists have the opportunity to come together and think creatively. By exploring the potential of microRNAs, this research could lead to innovative therapies that not only improve the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes but also help pave the way for a future without the burden of daily insulin management.”

Summaries of each newly funded project can be found here. The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge was established following the Steve Morgan Foundation’s generous £50 million donation into type 1 diabetes research. Over five years the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge is funding collaborative research with the greatest potential to lead to life-changing new treatments. So far, over £23 million has been allocated to exceptional research teams in the UK, who are leading the race towards a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Content for this article was based on a press release from Diabetes UK.