Olov Andersson

Project summary

Insulin-producing cells

Diabetes can be treated with insulin injections, but an alternative approach could be to increase the number of insulin-producing beta cells in the body. To identify an entirely new treatment strategy and enable the screening of large numbers of compounds and genes, we use zebrafish as a model system.

 

In some respects, these fish have a relatively simple anatomy, as they have only one islet of Langerhans – a cluster of insulin-producing beta cells. This makes it easier to study how beta cells form during embryonic development and how new beta cells can be generated after their numbers have been reduced by an injury that mimics the onset of type 1 diabetes in humans.

 

The pancreas contains not only beta cells but also four other types of endocrine cells, each of which produces a different hormone. Once the formation of new endocrine cells has been initiated, it may theoretically be possible to direct their development so that more of them become insulin-producing cells at the expense of the other endocrine cell types. We will therefore search for compounds and genes that can influence the development of endocrine cells and analyse how this affects blood glucose levels. We aim to identify molecules, genes and signalling pathways that can stimulate beta-cell formation. The most promising findings in zebrafish will be validated in mice. The results could provide an important piece of the puzzle in laying the foundation for future diabetes treatments.

 

Although the research is fundamental in nature, the long-term vision is for the project’s discoveries to be translated into clinical applications. By focusing on a biological question, the project has a greater chance of generating relevant discoveries that could directly benefit people with diabetes, rather than focusing on a particular biological process or individual protein, which may lead to interesting but less directly relevant lines of research.

 

In the longer term, it would be interesting to establish a start-up company that could patent molecules with potential applications in diabetes treatment, enabling pharmaceutical companies to take the development further. By remaining flexible and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise, new and exciting possibilities may emerge, providing new perspectives and approaches to research.