14
NEWS
Advancing understanding
The critical importance of research in
making discoveries.
Her Majesty The Queen tours laboratory aiming to
stop Type 1 diabetes in its tracks.
JDRF UK, the leading global
Type 1 diabetes charity,
has today welcomed its
President, Her Majesty
The Queen to University College
London (UCL) Institute of Immunity
and Transplantation. It is here that
Professor Lucy Walker, is working
on research that aims to stop
the immune attack responsible
for Type 1 diabetes and other
autoimmune conditions.
Professor Walker's research is
funded by the Connect Immune
Research Partnership, which was
established by JDRF and other
autoimmune charities (Versus
Arthritis, MS Society and the British
Society of Immunology) in 2018. This
ground-breaking partnership brings
together researchers with expertise
in different autoimmune conditions
to accelerate research and develop
more sophisticated treatments and
cures for the millions of people
living with autoimmune conditions.
Walker conducted a tour of her
state-of-the art laboratories where
Her Majesty learnt how immune
cells from people with Type 1
diabetes are studied in great depth,
and went on to meet other members
of the team.
Warm welcome
Her Majesty then joined a reception
where she met JDRF supporters
including Theresa May MP, Derrick
Evans (Mr Motivator), musician
Sheku Kanneh-Mason MBE, and
actress Nina Wadia who spoke about
their first-hand experience of living
with Type 1 diabetes and their hopes
for the future of research.
JDRF's CEO Karen Addington
commented "We are delighted to
welcome The Queen to Professor
Lucy Walker's lab and showcase
the innovative work being carried
out thanks to our Connect Immune
Research Partnership. We are
incredibly grateful for Her Majesty
The Queen's support since June 2012
as our President and for helping
us raise awareness about the
importance of research in advancing
our understanding of Type 1 diabetes,
bringing us closer to a cure."
Walker added, "It's a huge
honour to welcome Her Majesty to
the UCL Institute of Immunity &
Transplantation and showcase the
research we do here in pursuit of a
cure for Type 1 diabetes. This visit
highlights the critical importance
of research in making discoveries
that can lead to new treatments.
It's an incredibly exciting time in
immunology where we are seeing
real progress towards our goal
of turning off unwanted immune
responses. The support of funders
such as JDRF is essential for these
discoveries to be translated to lifechanging
therapies and I'm delighted
that The Queen has honoured us
with this visit."
The UCL Institute of Immunity
& Transplantation (IIT) is an
international centre of excellence
in immunology research. The IIT
aims to develop vaccinations,
gene therapy and cell therapy to
enhance immunity in patients
with cancer and chronic infection,
and to induce tolerance in
autoimmune diseases and in
patients receiving conventional or
bioengineered transplants.
www.jdrf.org.uk