The University of Minnesota is world-renowned as a pioneer of organ transplantation, from deceased human donors and living-donors alike. This reputation lies at the heart of successful pancreas transplantation, an advanced treatment for diabetes which was pioneered here in 1966. This surgery spawned successful islet (insulin-producing) cell transplantation, offering a variety of options in beta cell replacement therapy to cure diabetes via immunology and transplantation. Diabetes is an auto immune disease whereby its victims lose the ability to produce or effectively use insulin, a hormone that converts carbohydrates to energy.
Typical diabetes management treatments call for manual monitoring of blood sugar levels, via finger sticks and corresponding injections of insulin and an appropriate diet. The patient attempts to keep levels between 70 and 120 mg/dl, inevitably resulting in fluctuations. Although the discovery of insulin in 1922 has allowed many with diabetes to live longer lives, it is not a cure. The only true cure is receiving living tissue, via whole-organ pancreas transplantation or transplantation of only the insulin-producing islet cells, which performs the intended task of monitoring and responding effectively to blood sugar levels.
In 1994, the University of Minnesota Medical School capitalized upon its historic strengths in pancreas transplantation by establishing the Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation (DIIT) to pursue a cure for diabetes. David E.R. Sutherland, M.D., Ph.D., Head of the Transplantation Division and Professor of Surgery, was named Director of the DIIT. Bernhard J. Hering, M.D., was recruited from Giessen, Germany to head islet transplantation and to serve as an Associate Professor of Surgery.
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