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BBDC Newsletter

BBDC NEWS Vol. 9, No. 4 -- June 2009

UPCOMING EVENTS

RECENT ADVANCES IN BETA CELL BIOLOGY: SCIENTIFIC AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

This official academic satellite symposium of the International Diabetes Federation 20th World Diabetes Congress  will be held October 16-17, 2009 at the Sheraton Centre in downtown Toronto.  The symposium will highlight very recent advances in our understanding of beta cell biology with a focus on translational relevance and implications for the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  Participants are invited to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations at the symposium.  Abstracts related to all aspects of beta cell biology are welcome and must be submitted online by July 15, 2009.  Detailed information regarding abstract guidelines, program and registration is available on the symposium web site at www.betacell2009.ca.


FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The University of Toronto has announced a suspension of payments, effective April 2009, for income that would normally flow from endowed investments.  Since the vast majority of BBDC annual funding comes from endowment income, this poses a huge challenge for the Centre, namely how to try and continue operations while faced with a crippling cessation of funding that normally flows from our endowments. Due to the significant loss of income, we may make changes to the Centre's funding programs until the current fiscal challenges subside.  Changes may affect the number of programs offered, the number of awards disbursed, and/or the dollar value of individual awards.

TRAINEE TRAVEL AWARDS 2009/2010 (PERIOD 1)
FOR TRAVEL OCCURRING BETWEEN JULY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2009

Awards of up to $1,000 (Canadian) are available to trainees who will be traveling to a national or international meeting between July 1 and December 31, 2009 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, post-doctoral or clinical fellows conducting diabetes research at the University of Toronto or one of its affiliated institutions.  The trainee’s supervisor must hold a full-time faculty appointment with the University of Toronto and must also be a registered member* of the BBDC at the time of application submission.   The deadline for receipt of applications is 5 p.m., October 6, 2009.  For complete award details and application instructions please see the following web page: http://www.bbdc.org/fundingOpp/travel.htm .

Upcoming Funding Opportunities:

  • Pilot Grants for Innovative Activities Related to Diabetes Education, Management, and Care 2010/2011: Deadline for Letters of Intent: September 2009
  • Reuben & Helene Dennis Scholar in Diabetes Research 2010-2012: Application deadline October 2009
  • Diabetes Educator of the Year (2009):  Nomination deadline November 2009

* Those who are new to the field of diabetes research, education or care and are not members of the BBDC can request free membership by contacting the Centre prior to submitting an application. For more information about BBDC Membership, please view the MEMBERSHIP section of our web site at http://www.bbdc.org/membership/index.htm .


AWARD RESULTS**

ANNUAL TRAINEE AWARDS 2008/2009

Applicant Supervisor Abstract Title Prize

Meghan Sauvé

Dr. Daniel Drucker

Genetic deletion or selective inhibition of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 improves cardiovascular outcomes following myocardial infarction in mice 1st Prize

Sylvia Ley

Dr. Anthony Hanley

Interaction Between the HNF1A G319S Variant and Active Cigarette Smoking Influences the Development of Type 2 Diabetes 2nd Prize
Xiaomiao Lan-Pidhainy Dr. Thomas Wolever Attenuated GLP-1 response after oral glucose is associated with impaired beta-cell function 3rd Prize

Madhu Chari

Dr. Tony Lam

Lowering Plasma Glucose Levels in Diabetes Rescues Hypothalamic Glucose-Sensing and Normalizes Hypothalamic Glucose Transporter-1 Honourable Mention

Diana Choi

Dr. Minna Woo

Cytoprotective effects of erythropoietin against beta-cell apoptosis in type 1 and type 2 diabetes models Honourable Mention

Christine Tang

Dr. Adria Giacca

Glucose-induced Beta-Cell Dysfunction In Vivo:  Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Honourable Mention

 

TRAINEE TRAVEL AWARDS 2008/2009 (pERIOD 2)
FOR TRAVEL OCCURRING BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND JULY 31, 2009

Applicant Supervisor(s) Abstract Title

Safina Ali

Dr. Daniel Drucker

The Role of the GLP-1 Receptor in the Improved Metabolic Phenotype of Gcgr-/- mice

Danna Breen

Dr. Adria Giacca

Effect of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fatty acids on hepatic insulin sensitivity.

Yin Chan

Dr. Hans-Michael Dosch

Normalization of Obesity-Associated Insulin Resistance Through Immunotherapy:  CD4+ T Cells Control Homeostasis

Gary Chao

Dr. Philippe Poussier

Evidence for linkage of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) resistance and upregulation of eotaxin (CCL11) in pancreatic beta cells to a chromosome 12 locus in the Biobreeding rat

Madhu Chari

Dr. Tony Lam

Lowering Plasma Glucose Levels in Diabetes Rescues Hypothalamic Glucose-Sensing and Normalizes Hypothalamic Glucose Transporter-1
Grace Wing Chee Cheung

Dr. Tony Lam

Duodenal cholecystokinin triggers a gut-brain-liver axis to regulate glucose production

Tim Chiu

Dr. Amira Klip

Signals and Subcellular Steps in GLUT4 Translocation Affected in Insulin Residence

Diana Choi

Dr. Minna Woo

Exogenous recombinant erythropoietin protects mice against type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Irene Hadjiyanni

Dr. Daniel Drucker

The Role of the GLP-1 Receptor in the Murine Immune system

Xiaomiao Lan-Pidhainy

Dr. Thomas Wolever

Attenuated GLP-1 response after oral glucose is associated with impaired β-cell function

Rachel Masters

Dr. Anthony Hanley

Associations of whole and refined grain intakes with inflammatory proteins in diabetic subjects:  The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS)

Jonathan Schertzer

Dr. Amira Klip

Insulin-induced changes in cell surface GLUT4 and GLUT4-ineracting proteins in skeletal muscle of transgenic GLUT4myc-expressing mice

Linyuan Wang

Dr. Minna Woo

Ventromedial hypothalamic PTEN regulates peripheral insulin sensitivity through adipogenesis

Li Xie

Dr. Herbert Gaisano

Ra1A GTPase regulation of insulin exocytosis involves Ra1A interactions with L-and R-type calcium channels

Jessica Yue

Dr. Mladen Vranic &
Dr. Adria Giacca

Normalization of the Glucagon Response to Hypoglycemia in STZ-Diabetic Rats via Somatostatin Type 2 Receptor Antagonism

Liang Xi
(DECLINED)

Dr. Gary Lewis

Acute Administration of C-Reactive Protein Elevates Plasma TNF-α Levels and Induces Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Sprague-Dawley Rats

** 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.


BBDC CORE LABORATORY

The BBDC Core Laboratory provides analytical and technical support to the University of Toronto diabetes research community.  A wide range of research quality assays are provided for investigator initiated clinical or basic research as well as for industry sponsored trials. Please see the Core Laboratory section of the BBDC’s web site at http://www.bbdc.org/laboratories/index.htm for a complete description of assays and services currently available.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the following people:

  • The members of our Research Committee and our Diabetes Care and Education Committee who volunteer their time to review applications for the Centre’s funding programs and to organize educational events on behalf of the BBDC.  
  • Everyone who participated in Diabetes Update 2009.
  • Everyone who participated in our 20th Annual Scientific Day.
  • Dr. Allen Volchuk, our 2009 Charles Hollenberg Summer Studentship Program Coordinator
  • The BBDC members who provided scientific reviews for various BBDC funding programs this past year.
  • The following supporters who have helped make our educational events possible over the past year: Abbott, Animas Canada, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada and AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly Canada,  GlaxoSmithKline, LifeScan Canada, Medtronic Diabetes, Merck Frosst Canada, Novo Nordisk Canada, Pfizer Canada, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, and Servier Canada

BBDC Membership is free and open to individuals involved in full or part-time diabetes research, education, and patient care who are employed at the University of Toronto or its affiliated institutions. (E.g. scientists, physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other allied health care professionals.) Staff at both fully and partially affiliated institutions are eligible to apply for membership. For more information about BBDC Membership, please view the MEMBERSHIP section of our web site at http://www.bbdc.org/membership/index.htm.

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 Building, 12th Floor, Room 12E248
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4
Phone: (416) 978-4656 • Fax: (416) 978-4108
E-mail: diabetes.bbdc@utoronto.ca • Website: www.bbdc.org