November is Diabetes Awareness Month and we are pleased to be collaborating with Diabetes UK to organise a special public engagement visit to the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR).
As part of their thankathon Diabetes UK are inviting a group of volunteers and staff who go above and beyond to see diabetes research in action at the University of Birmingham and hear about Diabetes UK’s RD Lawrence Research Fellow, Dr Ildem Akerman’s, pioneering work.
With the support of Diabetes UK, the Akerman lab in the IMSR has established a state-of-the-art stem cell to pancreatic beta cell differentiation protocol and aims to understand and improve test-tube pancreatic beta cells for the treatment of diabetes.
Also supporting the event are several other IMSR researchers working in diabetes-relevant areas including:
Dr Christian Ludwig – a researcher living with type 2 diabetes and also studying concepts relevant to the condition through novel experimental and analytical approaches to map metabolic pathway activities.
Dr Gaby da Silva Xavier – whose research focusies on fuel (energy)-sensing mechanisms in cells that may play a role in diabetes and obesity.
Dr Fiona Docherty – a stem cell biologist with research interests in regenerative medicine and cell therapy. Fiona works closeley with Ildem.
Dr Patricia Thomas – an experimentalist interested in the mechanisms underpinning obesity-induced type 2 diabetes (T2D), particularly how intracellular fatty acid plays a role in pancreatic beta cells dysfunction.
Dr Daniela Nasteska – whose research focuses on the role that beta-cellular heterogeneity has on pancreatic islet function.
We are looking forward to welcoming guests later this month and invite other researchers working on diabetes relevent work to also join us on the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd of November in the IBR common room at 3.30pm for informal networking.
Other organisations supporting IMSR research are welcome to get in touch with Caroline Gillett to discuss future public engagement possibilities.