Alzhanuly B., Botbayev D.
Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
bakhytzhan.alzhanuly@gmail.com
The production of insulin and its appropriate release in response to nutrients are the defining features
of the
-cells of pancreatic gland. The lack of insulin causes type 1 diabetes. Theoretically, embryonic stem
cells can be made into any cell type, including
-cells that could be transplanted into people with type 1
diabetes for physiological glucose control exceeding what can be accomplished with machines, current
diabetes devices. Over the past 15 years, many efforts have established protocols that can convert stem cells
into cells that produce insulin and behave almost like
-cells.
Significance of the research to Type 1 Diabetes: Replacing lost
-cells with robust fully functional
glucose responsive
-cells created from stem cells has the potential to contribute towards a cure for type 1
diabetes. The goal is to produce lines of human embryonic stem cell derived
-cells with tunable insulin
production.
According to the Kazakhstan Diabetes Foundation, there were roughly 300 thousand people with
diabetes in the nation in 2014. WHO states that about 420 million people around the world are diabetic
patients. And these numbers are increasing despite the worldwide efforts being made in improving the global
health against this devastating disease. As it can be seen from these facts, there is a continuing big need for
new efficient anti-diabetic therapeutics and approaches. The new cell therapy being presented here, which is
based on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, promises great advances in this long-lasted fight.
Research advisors:Khanseitova A.K., Candidate of Biological Sciences, Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Almaty, Kazakhstan ; Panzhinskiy E., Phd, James D. Johnson's Lab, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.