23 March DRC Director's Report - March 2024 March 23, 2024 By The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center DRC, Iowa, Diabetes, Diabetes Research Center 0 Diabetes, the leading global journal for basic diabetes research, sought the expertise of Dr. Renata Pereira, a faculty member of the FOEDRC, to review and analyze recent development in specific, but important area of diabetes research. This state-of-the-art review recently authored by Dr. Pereira titled "Mitochondrial Dynamics, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease" was published in the January edition of the journal. Dr. Pereira's manuscript focuses on Mitochondria, which are the cellular powerhouses responsible for producing energy needed to support various cellular functions. Dr. Pereira reviews how changes in the physical shape of mitochondria can impair their ability to function correctly. This leads to impaired cell function and overall reduced health. By summarizing various studies, Dr. Pereira underscores the link between altered mitochondria shape and the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. She concludes by sharing her perspective on the potential to control changes in mitochondria shape for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Dale Abel, former FOEDRC director, served as a co-author on the manuscript. In fact, Dr. Pereira trained under Dr. Abel and the manuscript highlights some of the research work from Dr. Pereira's time in the Abel laboratory plus new findings generated in Dr. Pereira's independent laboratory at the University of Iowa. The FOEDRC is thankful for Dr. Pereira's ongoing work and for her carrying on the Iowa legacy of Dr. Abel. Related Articles DRC Director's Report - March 2019 Brian T. O’Neill, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology in the Department of Internal Medicine and member of the FOEDRC recently published in the journal Diabetes the discovery that FoxO proteins, which are transcription factors that regulate DNA, are the critical regulators of diabetes-related muscle atrophy. DRC Director's Report - March 2021 This month, the Spring 2021 issue of the Iowa Magazine devoted its cover and featured the University of Iowa Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC). The heartwarming article shares real life testimonies of diabetic individuals, cared for at the University of Iowa and the impact of diabetes on their daily life. The desire for relief is real and certainly not lost on physicians and scientists at the FOEDRC. The Center’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals with the disease and find a cure. Every day dedicated FOEDRC scientists conduct a wide range of research projects to improve and benefit the lives of many. DRC Director's Report - September 2024 FOEDRC faculty, Dr. Samuel Stephens, Associate Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Internal Medicine, has been awarded 2 major grants. The first is a three-year, $1.3M R01 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for his project, “Defining the contribution of mitochondrial redox metabolism to support proinsulin folding in the endoplasmic reticulum.” DRC Director's Report - July 2024 Liver health is a critical concern, especially for individuals with diabetes. While it has long been recognized that type 2 diabetes and obesity can damage the liver (a condition known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis or MASH), the association between type 1 diabetes and MASH has been less clear. Recent evidence has shed light on this connection. It appears that even people with type 1 diabetes can develop MASH, particularly if they are also obese. Understanding how this occurs and identifying strategies to prevent liver damage in type 1 diabetes patients is crucial. DRC Director's Report - March 2022 Recently the International Journal of Science featured important research by a member of the FOEDRC, Ayotunde Dokun, MD, PhD, Director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and his team. Peripheral arterial disease is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that supply blood to lower extremities. This disease affects millions of individuals with diabetes and is considered a major complication of diabetes which often lead to limb amputation. DRC Director's Report - April 2024 Drawing on modern culinary techniques, the laboratory of Dr. James Byrne, University of Iowa assistant professor of radiation oncology and biomedical engineering, has developed a carbon-monoxide-infused foam that can be applied topically to wounds and improves healing in models of diabetic wounds. The results of the study were published March 12 in a journal called Device. Diabetes which affects almost 39 million Americans causes numerous health complications. Showing 0 Comment Comments are closed.