What Islet Transplantation Means to People Living with Type 1 Diabetes—and Researchers

Islet transplantation represents a potential path toward diabetes remission—a significant prospect for people with type 1 diabetes. However, access to this therapy remains limited. Today, it is only available to a small group of people who experience intractable hypoglycemia, meaning their blood sugar drops dangerously low in ways that are extremely difficult to manage or predict.

The main obstacle is simple: there are not enough human donor islets available. Islets are the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and obtaining them requires donor pancreases. This severe shortage has motivated researchers to explore an alternative: growing human islets in the laboratory from pluripotent stem cells—cells capable of becoming many different cell types.

Years of research into stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) are beginning to bear fruit. Current protocols for creating these lab-grown islets are producing cells that show promising results in early clinical trials. While these trials are still in their early stages, they represent a step forward in exploring whether stem cell-derived islets could eventually expand access to transplantation therapy for more people with type 1 diabetes.

As part of a Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge research program, scientists established a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Steering Group—a diverse team of people with lived experience of type 1 diabetes who work alongside researchers. The goal was straightforward but important: understand how people living with diabetes and research scientists view islet transplantation differently.

The study brought together two islet transplant recipients who shared their personal experiences with members of both the PPI group and the research team. Researchers then surveyed both groups to understand their perspectives. The analysis revealed distinct differences in how each group approaches and prioritizes islet and stem cell-derived islet transplantation.

These findings underscore an essential message: sustained communication between people with lived experience of type 1 diabetes and basic science researchers is crucial. When both groups listen to each other, each can benefit from the insights, concerns, and priorities the other brings to the table.

As islet transplantation research continues to advance, ensuring that new therapies are developed with input from the people who will use them—rather than only from laboratory perspectives—can help align scientific progress with real patient needs. This study demonstrates that that work is underway and that the diabetes research community recognizes its value.

Source: Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.