Spotlight on diabetes
Many pieces of the puzzle are still missing when it comes to understanding diabetes, but one thing is for sure – diabetes is not one disease but several. Both treatments and the prognosis and life quality of patients have improved immensely during recent decades, due to researchers’ efforts.
New help for widespread disease
To be able to do something about the widespread occurrence of diabetes, we need more knowledge about causes and prognosis of the different types of the disease. And now, the diabetes map may be on the verge of being completely redrawn.
Difficult to accept all the prejudices
Ebba Målqvist has lived with type 1 diabetes her whole life. She will not let the disease be a hindrance in her life and wish that more resources were available to combat prejudices.
Break the silence surrounding diabetes
TV-profile Peter Jihde's diabetes makes it harder for him to be spontaneous and take life as it comes but it has also opened up many opportunities.
More diabetes clinics should be opened
Börje Justrell don’t think that his type 2 diabetes has led to any serious constraints on his life, although it has been a journey to accept and manage the disease.
Increased risk of type 2 diabetes in some occupations
Drivers, factory workers, and cleaners are three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than teachers and physiotherapists., according to a study from Karolinska Institutet.
Mini-kidneys explains link between diabetes and severe COVID-19
Diabetic mini-kidneys have a higher susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection than non-diabetic mini-kidneys, research shows. The study, which is published in Cell Metabolism, also identifies genetic evidence for the essential role of the ACE2 receptor in COVID-19.
“Transplantation only in complicated cases”
Senior physician, Torbjörn Lundgren, perform both full pancreas transplants and transplants of insulin-producing cells from the islets of Langerhans on patients suffering from diabetes.
The body’s “glucostat” identified
The pancreatic islets have the overall responsibility for maintaining normal blood glucose levels in our bodies, according to a new study which may have important implications for diabetes treatments.
Childhood obesity linked to increased risk of different forms of diabetes in adulthood
Child obesity is linked to increased risk of developing diabetes in adulthood, both autoimmune forms of diabetes and different forms of type 2 diabetes, a new study published in Diabetologia reports.
Latest news on diabetes from KI
Some of our professors in this field
He is a research leader on three continents
Per-Olof Berggren is Professor of Experimental Endocrinology at KI’s Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery. He is also active as a research leader in the United States and in Singapore.
Exercise and genes in type 2 diabetes
Physical activity can prevent diabetes and help lowering blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Anna Krook, Professor of Integrative Physiology at KI, studies how this is happening on a cellular level in our muscles.
Reducing risk of cardiovascular disease
Thomas Nyström studies cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes. His is focused on the intestinal hormone GLP-1, which is used as a diabetes drug but also have a protective effect on the blood vessels, heart and brain.
Studies the pathogenic mechanisms of type 1 diabetes
Malin Flodström Tullberg researches on the link between enteroviruses and type 1 diabetes. She also hopes to be able to contribute to a new enterovirus vaccine.
Focusing on diabetes and its complications
During her long research career, Kerstin Brismar has been focusing on both growth factors and complications in diabetes. She has especially been interested in the regulation of the IGF-IGFBP system, oxidative stress, and cellular effects of high glucose.
Interested in the release of fatty acids
Jan Bolinder uses, among other things, microdialysis technology to study the regulation of fatty acid release in adipose tissue and muscle, and what significance this has for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Studies apolipoprotein CIII in diabetes
Lisa Juntti-Berggren is Professor of Experimental Medicine at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and researches on diabetes, especially apolipoprotein CIII. She aims to find new drugs for the prevention and treatment of the disease.
More on diabetes at KI
The ESTRID study
The goal of the ESTRID study is to find risk factors for the development of LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) and type 2 diabetes. The research group study genetic and lifestyle factors as well as how these interact. The overall aim is to increase the possibilities to prevent diabetes.
The Rolf Luft Award
The Rolf Luft Award is given annually by Karolinska Institutet and since 2005 by Rolf Luft Foundation for diabetes research for outstanding scientific contribution in diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism. Awardees will receive the Rolf Luft Medal, a Diploma, an Honorarium and deliver a Lecture on their research.
Our history: The preparation of pure insulin
Dr Eric Jorpes, professor of medical chemistry at Karolinska Institutet (1947-1963), developed during the first half of the 20th century a method to produce pure insulin. Read about the son of a poor fisherman from Åland who became a world leading researcher in diabetes.
SRP Diabetes
The Strategic Research Programme in Diabetes involve 35 research groups at Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University. An integrated research environment in the diabetes area has been formed where results are translated between basic and clinical science with the aim to improve the care and treatment of people with diabetes.