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VTT, Turku University Hospital and Gothenburg University studying how gut microbes affect on progression of type 1 diabetes
02.10.2008
VTT has started a new 3-year project in September 2008 jointly with the Turku University Hospital and the Gothenburg University with the aim being prevention of type 1 diabetes. To achieve this goal the scientists will be using gut microbiota as a target. T1D is a major healthcare issue in Western countries.
The project is motivated by VTT's discovery of early metabolic signatures
predictive of later progression to autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes. These
metabolic signatures suggest the potential role of gut microbiota in early T1D
pathogenesis. Therefore, in this project the aim is to discover specific
microbes or lack of them associated with later progression to T1D, and to
utilize that information for developing new prevention strategies. If the
tests for the prevention strategies are successful the intervention can be
considered for clinical stages.
The project is initiated and
coordinated by Prof. Matej Orešič from VTT. It combines expertise in systems
biology and metabolomics (VTT), clinical type 1 diabetes research (Prof. Olli
Simell and his group from the Turku University Hospital and the Finnish Type 1
Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study DIPP), and microbiology (Prof.
Fredrik Bäckhed, University of Gothenburg).
The project
“The gut microbiota as a novel target for prevention of type 1 diabetes” is
coordinated by VTT and it is funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation in USA.
It has been recently reported (Harjutsalo
V, Sjöberg L, Tuomilehto J. Lancet. 2008;371: 1777-82) that based on current
trends the incidence of type 1 diabetes in Finland will double within next 15
years and the age of onset will be younger (0-4 years). T1D is and will be
therefore a major healthcare issue in Finland, and increasingly also in other
Western countries. Discovery of preventive therapies capable of preventing or
delaying the onset of type 1 diabetes would thus have major implications for
healthcare.
Further information:
VTT
Research
Professor Matej Orešič
tel.
+358 40 705 5156