Inhibiting somatostatin signaling in animal models of diabetes

The prevalence of diabetes is growing rapidly and currently, over 60 million people worldwide use insulin treatment to manage their diabetes. However, insulin treatment can result in hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. To date only retroactive treatments are available to treat hypoglycemia, which affects an individual’s quality of life and increases the likelihood of recurring bouts of hypoglycemia as well as development of cardiovascular or renal disease. The goal of this project is to test the efficacy of novel therapeutic targets utilizing somatostatin receptor-2 antagonists to better manage glycemic control in type 1 diabetics. It is hypothesized that this new drug will help prevent hypoglycemia in diabetes by increasing glucagon levels when blood sugar drops below normal.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Riddell

Student:

Julian Aiken

Partner:

Zucara Therapeutics Inc

Discipline:

Kinesiology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

York University