update due in April Approx., Back ground of that letter of yours Zoomboom
MANF-JDRF --Professor Mart Saarma receives $ 495,000 for diabetes research (August 7, 2013)
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) has awarded a research grant of $ 495 000 for three years for supporting a collaborative team headed by Professor Mart Saarma at the Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki and Professor Timo Otonkoski at Biomedicum Stem Cell Center. The aim of the project is to study therapeutic potential of neurotrophic factor MANF (Mesencephalic Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor) in preclinical research for type 1 diabetes. The therapeutic effect of MANF will be studied using rodent and human pancreatic islets, b -cell lines and in rodent models of diabetes.
Professor Mart Saarma's team is currently studying the structure, biology and therapeutic potential of neurotrophic factors GDNF, CDNF and MANF for neurodegenerative diseases. The indication for neurotrophic factor MANF to be a candidate therapeutic factor for diabetes came from Dr. Maria Lindahl´s work (Saarma group, Institute of Biotechnology). These studies showed that Manf-deficient mice were diabetic due to progressive loss of insulin-producing pancreatic b -cells. The team in the collaborative project includes top experts in the fields of endocrinology, neurosciences and genetic engineering of mice.
Prof. Timo Otonkoski is a pediatrics endocrinologist whose research topic for many years has been in the development and renewal of insulin-producing pancreatic b -cells. Dr. Maria Lindahl´s research has focused on the role of neurotrophic factors in the endocrine system by developing and analysing several genetically modified mice models. Dr. Jari Rossi (Institute of Biomedicine) has extensive experience in genetically engineered mice, and studying energy balance and metabolism. Doctoral students M.Sc. Tatiana Danilova and MD Erik Palm will be tightly involved in the project by working on cell lines, rodent islets and mouse models. MD Elina Hakonen will focus on human islets and cell lines.
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF's goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people's lives until we achieve a world without T1D.
One of the main goals in type 1 diabetes therapy is to define a method for functional b -cell proliferation and regeneration.
" We have found that MANF can protect and stimulate proliferation of b -cells in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. In addition, we generated mice which lack MANF protein, resulting in development of T1D. Since MANF has direct effects of mouse b -cells and is expressed and regulated in human b - cells we hope that MANF has therapeutic potential for the treatment of T1D, where b -cell protecting and regenerating therapies are not available" says Professor Mart Saarma.
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