NEWS
“hANDShAkE” To rEPlACE iNjECTioNS
australian scientists have discovered a very unusual way, with both insulin and
how insulin is taken up by cells, its receptor rearranging themselves as they
potentially opening the way for new interact.
drugs for diabetes patients that can “a piece of insulin folds out and key
be administered without injection. the pieces within the receptor move to engage
team, whose findings appeared in the the insulin hormone,” Lawrence said in a
journal nature, solved the puzzle of how statement. “You might call it a ‘molecular
the hormone insulin binds to its receptor handshake’.”
in cells, a process necessary for cells insulin controls the levels of glucose,
to take up sugar from the blood and or sugar, in the blood, a mechanism that
essential for treating diabetes. breaks down in people with diabetes.
“all of that (previous) work has taken understanding the insulin binding process
place without a detailed picture of how could lead to new ways to deliver insulin
insulin actually interacts with the cell and other than by injection, or the development
tells that cell to take up glucose from of more effective and longer-lasting insulin
the blood,” says leading scientist Mike products, Lawrence said. “this structure is
Lawrence, at australia’s Walter and eliza going to be a reference point for all future
Hall institute in Melbourne, “What we’ve design of insulin,” he said. “they (drug
done is provide that picture,” he said makers) are going to use that information...
of the three-dimensional view of insulin for the next generation of insulin delivery
bound to its receptor. researchers devices, etc.” Originally reported by Maggie Lu Yueyang
found that insulin engages its receptor in for Reuters.
DiAbETES APP SmAllEr, SlEEkEr, NEATEr
ChAllENgE Ypsomed’s Omnipod was the first ‘patch’
pump in the uk. a patch pump has no tubing
The Diabetes App Challenge is 1 year connecting the handheld device to the pump
pilot project is exploring how apps -- instructions are sent wirelessly to the pump
might help prepare young people for which is actually on the body, in this case in the
their diabetes clinic appointments. It is shape of a small pod that contains an insulin
run by Plymouth University, Peninsula reservoir.
College of Medicine & Dentistry and the latest innovation to this futuristic device
is funded by Diabetes UK. If you’re is a smaller pod, making for a less noticable
aged 16-25, have T1 diabetes, live in device being attached to the body. Putting the
the UK and have a clinic appointment pod on is automated and virtually pain-free.
before the end of Feb 2013, then you the pod is waterproof and the handheld unit
are invited to try out and review one of (or PDM -- your personnal diabetes manager)
the six apps that were designed and doubles up as a blood test meter. the large
created by other young people with screen displays test results, bolus and basal
diabetes. You’ll get a £20 Amazon histories and displays information in graphs, if
voucher for participating. you prefer that method of analysis.
www.diabetesappchallenge.org.uk www.mylife-diabetescare.co.uk