BBDC Newsletter
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
This issue of
our newsletter marks the end of another very productive year for
diabetes clinical and research activities at the University of Toronto.
We held extremely successful Diabetes Update (Convention Centre)
and Scientific Day (Vaughan Estate) meetings, with excellent attendance
and positive feedback. Our
BBDC members continue to be highly active and have made numerous
important contributions at the local, national, and international
levels. Our funding programs
continue to be popular and we receive more excellent applications for
each competition than we can possibly fund due to resource limitations.
Hence, by all measures, we have a
vigorous and extremely active diabetes program at the University of
Toronto.
A few
closing comments for summer reflection about our grants competitions.
There appears to be an increasing
tendency for many of our grant recipients to approach the BBDC to
request one or more extensions to their granting period for completion
of the studies proposed. Although
we recognize illness, family leave, and extenuating
circumstances as all highly worthy of automatic granting of these
extensions, the majority of instances and requests involve simply not
being able to complete the proposed research as originally intended
within the original time frame of the granting period.
While we are sympathetic to the
challenges and unexpected events that often make research difficult,
grant recipients are also no doubt aware that the submission of a
research proposal comes with an implicit understanding that the BBDC
expects that the proposed studies will be completed on time as laid out
in the grant proposal. A
principal goal of the BBDC is to foster and support local investigators
and faculty thereby enhancing the chances for success when applicants
turn their attention to applying for funding from provincial or national
funding agencies. How should the
BBDC view these requests for grant extensions?
Do these requests mean we have
erred in selecting awardees most likely to carry out the research
proposed in a timely manner?
Or should we automatically grant such requests, independent of the
circumstances, so as to foster and support eventual completion of the
research proposals? The BBDC
Executive Committee will discuss these and other issues at our next
meeting in the fall of 2005. Until
then, we welcome your input on this matter and we wish you a restful,
healthy and rejuvenating summer of 2005.
Daniel J. Drucker, MD
Director, Banting and Best Diabetes Centre
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
pilot Grants for Innovative Activities Related to Diabetes Education, Management, and Care
The Banting and Best
Diabetes Centre will provide up to $20,000 per applicant for pilot
projects which are one to two years in length. This program is
intended to support new research initiatives in the following general areas:
a) Diabetes care delivery
b) Evaluation of diabetes
education programs, and
c) Practical issues in
diabetes management.
This program is designed to encourage new academic research activities that would not usually be supported by traditional granting processes. Specifically, we invite applications from frontline diabetes health care professionals working in University of Toronto affiliated institutions or working with University of Toronto faculty. To be eligible to apply, the principal applicant and ALL co-applicants must be full-time health care professionals working at a University of Toronto-affiliated institution or with University of Toronto faculty. Eligible applicants include: Full-time physicians; nurses; dietitians; pharmacists and others on the front line of diabetes care. Full-time staff at both fully and partially affiliated University of Toronto institutions are eligible to apply. Interested individuals are asked to submit a one-page Letter of Intent to the BBDC by 3 p.m., Tuesday, September 27, 2005. For complete award details and eligibility requirements, please see the Funding Opportunities section of our website at www.bbdc.org.
TRAINEE TRAVEL AWARDS –
PERIOD 1
FOR
TRAVEL OCCURRING BETWEEN JULY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2005
The Banting and Best Diabetes Centre will make 15 awards of up to $1,000 available to trainees who will be traveling to a national or international meeting between July 1 and December 31, 2005 to present a first-author abstract. The content of the abstract must be directly related to an area of diabetes research. To be eligible, applicants must be registered graduate students or postdoctoral fellows conducting diabetes research at the University of Toronto. The trainee's supervisor must be a member* of the BBDC. The deadline for receipt of applications is 3 p.m., October 4, 2005. For complete award details and application instructions, please see the Funding Opportunities section of our website at www.bbdc.org.
Upcoming Funding
Opportunities
The following BBDC funding opportunities will
announced and information posted on our website within the next few
weeks:
· NEW Diabetes Educator of the Year Award (2005)
* Faculty who are new to the field of diabetes research and are not members of the BBDC can request free membership by contacting the Centre prior to submitting an application. To be eligible for BBDC Membership, one must hold a full time faculty appointment with the University of Toronto and must be involved in diabetes research. For more information about BBDC Membership, please view the MEMBERSHIP section of our website at
www.bbdc.org.
AWARD RESULTS**
PILOT and feasibility
grants
The
following have been offered a Pilot and Feasibility Grant:
|
Applicant |
Title of
Research |
Amount |
|
Dr. Dominic
Ng |
High
density lipoprotein in Type 1 diabetes
|
$30,000 |
|
Dr. Qinghua
Wang |
ALK7, a
Novel pancreatic beta cell pro-apoptotic protein? |
$30,000 |
PILOT GRANTS FOR
INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO DIABETES EDUCATION, MANAGEMENT, AND
CARE
The following
have been offered a Pilot Grant:
|
Applicant |
Title of
Research |
Amount |
|
Dr. Denice
Feig (PI) |
Barriers to Breastfeeding in Women with Diabetes |
$19,965 |
|
Ms. Ana
Offenheim (PI) |
Walking for Health:
An exercise and nutrition program for sedentary people with type
2 diabetes. Is it
effective? |
$19,953.93 |
Charles
hollenberg summer studentships
The following have
been offered a 2005 Charles Hollenberg Summer
Studentship:
|
Applicant |
Supervisor(s) |
Title of Research |
|
Florence Chan |
Dr. Michael Wheeler |
The role of
potassium channel drugs on glucose stimulated insulin secretion in mice |
|
Alex Cheng |
Dr. Amira Klip |
Localization of
insulin signals by the cytoskeleton |
|
Vinca Chow |
Dr. Maria Rozakis Adcock |
Characterization of a novel actin and IRS-1 binding protein the
regulation of GLUT4 trafficking in insulin-responsive L6 muscle cells. |
|
Melissa Jenny Ho |
Dr. Stephen
Matthews |
Effects of repeated
restraint stress on the expression of catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes
in the adrenal medulla of STZ-diabetic rats |
|
Shiying Liu |
Dr. Qinghua Wang |
Role of Akt kinase
in regulating glucagon secretion in A-cells |
|
Golnaz Madadi |
Dr. Adria Giacca |
Mechanism of
Insulin Action on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell (VSMC) Migration After
Arterial Injury |
|
Amber Menezes |
Dr. Mladen Vranic |
Intermittent Stress
Attenuates the Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the Male
Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) Rat |
|
Leslie Po |
Dr. Pamela Ohashi |
Understanding
signaling pathways during T cell activation versus tolerance |
|
Roshan Abdul Razik |
Dr. I. George
Fantus |
Mechanisms of
crosstalk between bradykinin and insulin signal transduction pathways. |
|
Tracey Teodoro |
Dr. Allen Volchuk |
Development of an
Assay to Monitor ATF6 Pathway Signalling in Pancreatic ß-cells |
|
Wilson Wan |
Dr. Herbert Gaisano |
Role of Munc18b and
Munc18c in insulin exocytosis |
|
Lesley Wu |
Dr. Minna Woo |
Tissue-specific
Role of Caspase-8 in Beta Cell Homeostasis |
|
Stephanie Yee |
Dr. David Irwin |
Isolation and
Characterization of Glucagon Receptor-like Receptors from the Frog
Xenopus tropicalis |
|
Andrea Yeung |
Dr. Patricia
Brubaker |
Role of novel fatty
acid transporters, GPR40 and GPR120, in the regulation of glucagon-like
peptide-1 secretion |
|
Ann Young |
Dr. Thomas Wolever |
Effects of thronine
54 variant of the fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2) gene on
postprandial insulin response of Type II diabetes patients |
ANNUAL TRAINEE AWARDS
COMPETITION
The following are
this year’s prize winners:
|
Applicant |
Supervisor(s) |
Title of Research |
|
1st Prize: |
|
Glucose concentration-dependent glucagon secretion
requires insulin receptor expression in α-cells |
|
2nd Prize: |
|
In
Vivo
Effect of Insulin to Decrease Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) -2
activity |
|
3rd
Prize: |
|
Insulin Resistance Precipitates Loss of Glucose
Sensitivity and ß-cell Expansion in a Non-obese Model of Type 2
Diabetes |
|
Honourable Mention: |
|
Chronic Intermittent Stress Improves Glycemia and
Glucose Tolerance in ZDF Rats |
|
Honourable Mention: |
|
In
vivo
role of PTEN on ß cell mass and function |
|
Honourable Mention: |
|
Bradykinin
(BK) Potentiates the Insulin signaling Pathway in Rat Adipocytes
via Inhibition of JNK1/2 |
|
Honourable Mention: |
|
Hyperpolarization-Activated
Cyclic-Nucleotide-Modulated Channels in the ß-cell |
bBdc postdoctoral fellowships
ANDHUGH SELLERS POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPThe
following have been offered a postdoctoral fellowship:
|
Applicant |
Supervisor |
Title of Research |
|
Hugh
Sellers Fellowship:
|
Dr. Gary
Lewis |
The
effect of dipeptidyl peptidase(DPP)-IV inhibition on
carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
|
|
BBDC
Fellowship: |
Dr. Daniel
Drucker |
Tissue-specific glucagon receptor action |
|
BBDC Fellowship: |
Dr. Daniel
Drucker |
GLP-1
receptor signalling in pancreatic cancer |
|
BBDC
Fellowship: |
Dr.
Amira Klip |
Dissecting the proteome of the insulin-sensitive,
GLUT4-compartment of muscle cells and insulin-sensitive GLUT4
partners. |
|
BBDC
Fellowship: |
Dr. Gary
Lewis |
Mechanisms of beta-cell lipotoxicity in humans |
TRAINEE TRAVEL AWARDS
(PERIOD 2) FOR TRAVEL OCCURRING BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND JULY 31, 2005
The
following trainees have been offered a BBDC Trainee Travel Award of up
to $1,000 (Canadian):
|
Applicant |
Supervisor(s) |
Title of
Research |
|
Holly Bates |
Dr. Mladen
Vranic |
Chronic
Intermittent Stress Improves Glycemia and Glucose Tolerance in
ZDF Rats |
|
Kristin
Beard |
Dr. George
Fantus |
Bradykinin
(BK) Potentiates the Insulin Signaling Pathway in Rat Adipocytes
via Inhibition of JNK1/2 |
|
George
Bikopoulos |
Dr. Sandy
Der |
Human Islet
Transcriptional Profiling Following Exposure to Non-esterified
Fatty Acids |
|
Jiwanjeet
Dhaliwall |
Dr. Adria
Giacca and |
In Vivo
Effect of Insulin to Decrease Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) 12
activity |
|
Irene
Hadjiyanni |
Dr. Daniel
Drucker |
The Effects
of the GLP-1R Agonist Exendin-4 on Diabetes Development |
|
Tanya
Hansotia |
Dr. Daniel
Drucker |
Elimination
of incretin receptor signalling impairs the β cell response to
high fat feeding but attenuates the development of obesity and
insulin resistance |
|
Edwin Kwan |
Dr. Herbert
Gaisano |
Glucagon-like Peptide 1 regulates sequential and compound
exocytosis in pancreatic islet β cells |
|
Lixin Li |
Dr.
Patricia Brubaker |
Role of the
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase γ (PI3K γ) in beta-cell Growth:
Interation with Glucagon-like Peptide-1 |
|
Gareth Lim |
Dr.
Patricia Brubaker |
Inhibitory
Effect of Insulin on Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Secretion by the
GLUTag Cell Line |
|
Lorraine
Lipscombe |
Dr. Janet
Hux |
Increased
Rates of Prior Breast Cancer in Women with Newly Diagnosed
Diabetes |
|
Juan Liu |
Dr. Kue
Young and |
Regional
Variation in Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence and Characteristics
among Native Canadians |
|
Kinh-Tung
Nguyen |
Dr. Minna
Woo |
The in
vivo role of PTEN in pancreatic β cell |
|
Ravi
Retnakaran |
Dr. Bernard
Zinman |
Elevated
C-reactive Protein in Native Canadian Children:
An Ominous Early Complication of Childhood Obesity |
|
Baiju Shah |
Dr. Janet
Hux |
Specialized
care results in more aggressive cardiovascular risk modification
than primary care |
|
Laura
Stavar |
Dr. George
Fantus |
Evidence
for a Role of Src Tyrosine Kinase in Diabetic Nephropathy |
|
Hubert Tsui |
Dr.
Hans-Michael Dosch |
Initiation,
Persistence and Relevance of Peri-Islet Schwann Cell
Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes |
|
Fuzhen Xia |
Dr. Robert
Tsushima |
Expression
of Ion channels and SNARE Proteins in Pancreatic α-cells and
Targetting of SNARE Proteins to Lipid Rafts Microdomains |
|
Changting
Xiao |
Dr. Gary
Lewis |
Differential effects of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and
saturated fat ingestion on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion,
sensitivity and clearance in overweight or obese, non-diabetic
humans |
|
Daphne Yau |
Dr. Michael
Wheeler |
Insulin
Resistance Precipitates Loss of Glucose Sensitivity and β-cell
Expansion in a Non-obese Model of Type 2 Diabetes |
|
Fenghua Yi |
Dr. Tianru
Jin |
Cell type
specific activation of proglucagon gene expression and GLP-1
synthesis by insulin:
Role of TCF-4 and G2 enhancer elements |
|
Jessica Yue |
Dr. Stephen
Matthews |
Discordant
Hypoglycemic Counterregulation in Normal and Diabetic Rats With
or Without Recurrent Restraint Stress (RRS) |
** An essential condition of all BBDC programs is the acknowledgement of BBDC support, where appropriate, in all publications relevant to the BBDC-supported research program. Failure to appropriately acknowledge the BBDC’s support in relevant publications will be considered grounds for suspending future eligibility for BBDC funding programs.
oTHER NEWS
NO EQUIPMENT GRANT COMPETITION for 2005/2006
The Equipment Grant
funding program will not be held during the 2005/2006 year.
Funds which would have been allocated for this program will
instead be redirected to the postdoctoral fellowship program to support
at least two additional postdoctoral fellows.
bbdc membership requirements
Members of the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre are reminded that membership not only signifies eligibility to apply for our funding program but also involves the following important contributions:
- Provide updated information for the BBDC website when requested such as: annual research highlights; current research profiles and contact information; and new clinical or research trial listings.
- Review applications for BBDC funding programs on occasion.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the BBDC members who provided scientific reviews for various BBDC funding programs this past year. We would also like to thank everyone who helped organize and participate in the highly successful Diabetes Update 2005 and the 16th Annual Scientific Day. In addition, we wish to thank the corporate sponsors who helped support our educational activities over the past year: AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly Canada, GlaxoSmithKline, LifeScan Canada, Merck Frosst Canada Inc., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., Pfizer Canada Inc., Sanofi-Aventis, and Schering Pharmaceuticals. Finally, we would like to thank the members of our Executive Committee, Research Committee and our Diabetes Care and Education Committee who volunteer their time to help further the BBDC’s mission of advancing diabetes research, education, and patient care at the University of Toronto.
BBDC News is published in September, December, March and June of each year.
Current and past issues are available on our web site.
DIRECTOR: DANIEL J. DRUCKER, MD, FRCPC
Banting and Best Diabetes Centre
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Located at the Toronto General Hospital
200 Elizabeth Street
Eaton Wing, 12th Floor, Room 12E248
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4
Phone: (416) 978-4656 • Fax: (416) 978-4108
E-mail:
diabetes.bbdc@utoronto.ca • Website: