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Diabetes affects more than 18 million Americans and ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. It is also a significant contributor to kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, and blindness. UVa’s Diabetes and Hormone Center of Excellence ranks among the nation’s top five endocrinology programs. Your gifts help us to pursue breakthrough diabetes research and provide lifesaving care.
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Pioneer New Diabetes Research
To obtain federal funding, researchers must first amass a body of evidence that demonstrates a project’s viability. Collecting that data can take years. During this critical start-up period, private seed funds can make the difference between an idea becoming an innovation in diabetes treatment or being abandoned due to a lack of funding. Major UVa research projects focus on creating insulin-producing cells, preventing rejection of islet cells without toxic anti-rejection drugs, developing new diagnostic tests and treatments for the complications of diabetes, and preventing diabetes and its complications.
Translate Research into New Treatments
Once research has identified potential causes of diabetes-related conditions and targets for treatment, it is essential to translate that knowledge into patient care. Here, private donations can make a dramatic difference, enabling UVa researchers to pursue the early stages of drug development, conduct clinical trials for new medications, develop new imaging procedures, and translate new findings into critical advances.
Fund the Scientists and Physicians of the Future
Research fellows conduct many of the day-to-day scientific studies taking place in laboratories across UVa’s Health System. These dedicated scientists play a vital role in accelerating the pace of research. With increased fellowship support, the Diabetes and Hormone Center of Excellence can pursue more research projects with greater success and increased efficiency.
Advance Islet Cell Transplantation
Islet cell transplantation, in which insulin-producing pancreatic cells are replaced in a patient’s body, holds great promise for curing type 1 diabetes. Shortly, UVa will join only a small number of centers in the U.S. to perform such transplants. UVa scientists are also conducting breakthrough research aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and eliminating complications in islet cell transplantation. Private support is critical to move this progress forward so that we can greatly improve upon ways to functionally cure Type 1 diabetes.
Endocrinology & Metabolism (Diabetes) Web site
For more information, please contact Garth Mills, Sr. at (800) 297-0102 or (434) 924-8432.
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