DIABETES NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP

IN TYPE 1 DIABETES, CELLS IN THE PANCREAS THAT PRODUCE INSULIN ARE "ATTACKED" BY THE BODY'S OWN T-CELLS. T-CELLS ARE THE BODY'S IMMUNE CELLS WHOSE JOB IT IS TO DESTROY INVADING ORGANISMS. BUT IN TYPE 1 DIABETES, THESE T-CELLS ALSO ATTACK THE BODY THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT. FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AND THE DIABETES NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP, SCIENTISTS IN SAN DIEGO ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PANCREATIC SELF-ANTIGENS (SUBSTANCES CAPABLE OF INDUCING AN IMMUNE RESPONSE)ARE PROCESSED AND PRESENTED. MANY GRANTING AGENCIES DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO COVER UNEXPECTED EXPENSES, TO PURCHASE VITAL LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, OR TO SUPPORT SCIENTISTS' TRAVEL TO MEET WITH OTHERS IN THE FIELD. BY PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT FUNDS, THE DIABETES NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP IS IN EFFECT WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER GRANTING ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THIS IMPORTANT WORK CONTINUES. DURING THE PAST YEAR, DIABETES NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR THESE TYPES OF SUPPLEMENTAL OR "COST SHARING" PROGRAMS. DNRG AWARDED GRANTS FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 DIABETES. FUNDS WERE USED FOR NEW LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, LABORATORY SUPPLIES, SCIENTISTS' SALARIES, AND TRAVEL TO SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS. TRAVEL TO MEETINGS IS CRUCIAL IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE RESEARCH RESULTS. DNRG ALSO SUPPORTED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INCLUDING DISTRIBUTION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY DIABETES NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENORMOUS BENEFIT TO SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, PUBLICATIONS, ORAL PRESENTATIONS, COLLABORATIONS AND THE SHARING OF RESEARCH RESULTS WITH SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS OCCURRED IN MANY COUNTRIES. AS A RESULT OF THIS SUPPORT WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS FROM AT LEAST HALF OF THE STATES HAVE BENEFITED BY ATTENDING LECTURES, READING JOURNAL ARTICLES, BEGINNING NEW RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS, AND MAINTAINING ESTABLISHED COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.