Diabetes Research Institute Foundation: Focused on Finding a Cure

During November’s Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day on November 14, our communities take notice of this global health threat that continues to grow. Diabetes is a disease that can strike anyone, from any walk of life. And it does at an alarming rate.

There are currently more than 30 million Americans and approximately 420 million children and adults worldwide living with diabetes. For those affected and their families, tomorrow isn’t soon enough to cure this disease.

That’s why at the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, we are solely focused on finding a biological cure.

Founded in 1971 by a group of parents of children with diabetes who were committed to finding a cure for this devastating disease, the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is the organization of choice for those who are serious, passionate and committed to curing diabetes. Our mission is to provide the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) with the funding necessary to cure diabetes now.

As the largest and most comprehensive research center of its kind in the world, the DRI is aggressively working to develop a biological cure by restoring natural insulin production and normalizing blood sugar levels without imposing other risks. 

Researchers have already shown that transplanted islet cells allow patients to live without the need for insulin therapy. In fact, some study participants have maintained insulin independence for more than 10 years. The DRI is now building upon these promising outcomes by developing a DRI BioHub, a bioengineered “mini organ” that mimics the native pancreas, containing thousands of insulin-producing cells that sense blood sugar and release the precise amount of insulin needed, in real time. 

While various BioHub platforms are being tested in preclinical and clinical studies, the DRI is also developing strategies to eliminate the need for anti-rejection drugs and reset the immune system to block autoimmunity.

Its singular focus on a cure, along with the integration of technology and medicine, is what makes the DRI unique and distinguishes its research efforts from all others. 

To shrink the timeline toward the discovery of a cure, the Institute collaborates with the top diabetes research centers around the world through a global collaboration called the DRI Federation. Through these worldwide partnerships, we can bring promising findings to patients more quickly than ever before.

While during November the world recognizes and focuses on diabetes, the people living with it have to face the burden of this disease every minute of every day. Living with diabetes places an enormous emotional, physical, and financial strain on the entire family. Even with the best management, diabetes can lead to complications that include blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure and stroke, among others. 

For the millions of people affected by diabetes, the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is the best hope for a cure.

To learn more about the work of the Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation, please visit www.DiabetesResearch.org or contact us at 1800-321-3437 or info@drif.org.

Stay tuned for our next blog post with an update on the exciting clinical trials rolling out at the DRI in the coming months. These patient studies represent the culmination of many years of research, and will bring us one step closer to a cure.