Diabetes

Thanks to a newfound understanding of the way insulin secretion is triggered in pancreatic cells, scientists at the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison have uncovered an exciting new pathway in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

New research has found a metabolite produced by gut bacteria can block the beneficial effects of a popular diabetes medication, offering valuable insights into how an individual’s unique microbiome can influence their response to certain drugs.

A large population-based study is suggesting some diabetes drugs may also prevent the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Along with prior research, these findings validate a Phase 3 human trial set to test a specific diabetes drug in Parkinson’s patients.

A research group at the University of Iowa has built what is described as a "remote control" for diabetes management that uses electromagnetic fields (EMFs) to reduce blood sugar levels and improve the body’s response to insulin.

A new study is suggesting a strong coffee first thing in the morning, especially following a night of disrupted sleep, can impair the body’s glucose response. The researchers recommend coffee should consumed in the morning after food, and not before.

New research has found diabetic patients using a drug called metformin experience slower rates of cognitive decline and dementia compared to those not using the drug. The findings build on a body of evidence suggesting this drug generates anti-aging effects.

The promising results of a Phase 2 trial testing a new, once-weekly insulin treatment for type 2 diabetes have been published. The weekly injection was found to be as safe and effective as daily insulin shots and a larger Phase 3 trial is currently being planned.

The brain may be a new drug target for longer term control of diabetes. Two new studies on rodents have investigated how a certain peptide works to induce remission for animals with diabetes, which could lead to new breakthroughs in human treatments.

Scientists at the Joslin Diabetes Center have developed a new gene-editing technique that converts a subject's own white fat cells into brown fat cells, which could then be transplanted as a way of treating obesity and diabetes.

A new synthetic film developed at MIT could become a powerful tool in helping manage diabetes, with the ability to self-assemble in the intestine to block the absorption of glucose and safely dissolve thereafter. And its potential mightn’t end there.

A team from UC San Francisco has demonstrated the potential in using a smartphone camera to diagnose type 2 diabetes. The technique needs no additional hardware other than a smartphone camera, and is over 80 percent accurate in detecting diabetes.

Scientists have shown how to activate energy-burning brown fat in mice, which helps shed weight and improves health. Results have been hard to replicate in humans, but a new study has found that we might be targeting the wrong receptor in our bodies.