Ep. 070: Can Stem Cell Research Lead to A Cure for Diabetes?

Health and wellnessScience and tech
Written By Stuart McNish

Guest: Dr. Kevin D'Amour, ViaCyte

"It is encouraging. No one has ever done anything quite like this before."

That is Dr. Kevin D'Amour's take on a device designed to change lives.

He is leading a San Diego-based research team that has FDA approval to develop a stem cell treatment for Type 1 Diabetes. The promise lies in the delivery of "a stem cell that has great proliferative power to make many cells, and to treat many patients."

D’Amour points out that the proliferative power of the cell needs to be harnessed to produce islet cells. "We call that differentiation, or the process of differentiation, where the immature cells become more mature cells."

To date, ten patients have been implanted with the device. Phase Two is set to start in 2016.

 
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