Diabetes - searching for a cure
The holy grail for diabetes researchers will always be the finding a cure for this disease that affects more than 285 million people worldwide. It is only by increasing our understanding of the causes of diabetes and its complications, will we be able to move closer to discovering new drugs and treatments for people affected by this condition.
New studies, led by Adrian Bone, Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, have shown that viral infection may play an important role in triggering the development of diabetes, especially in children. This observation opens up the possibility of producing a vaccine that could ultimately significantly reduce the number of children who develop diabetes. Such a treatment could protect millions of people worldwide, from the impact of this life-long condition.
In the UK alone, there are almost three million people whose lives are affected by diabetes - costing almost £9 billion per year, a staggering figure that represents almost 10 per cent of the entire NHS budget.
