Still, she remains excited at the potential for anti-CD154 to help transplanted islet cell survive without the need for highly toxic immunosuppressant therapy. Immunobarriers and Tough Beta Cells Dr. Christopher Newgard, Touchstone Chair in Diabetes Research and Professor of Biochemistry and Medicine at the Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, presented an overview of his research into a novel immunobarrier and specially selected islet cells. Dr. Newgard's team, which includes private industry, has created a novel tubular immunobarrier that is inserted under the skin. Once vascularized, a small incision is made and a smaller tube, this one containing special islet cells, is inserted. Dr. Newgard's team uses genetically engineered islet cells that are grown in culture and are specially bred to withstand the immune attack associated with cytokines and free radicals.
Testing is thus far limited to small animals.
Dr. Norma Sue Kenyon holds an islet cell isolation chamber, invented by Dr. Camillo Ricordi. Clusters of islets isolated using the system developed by Dr. Ricordi. These islets are then used for transplantation. Click for a larger photo. Image courtesy of the Diabetes Research Institute .