Diabetes is one of the world’s most devastating health problems, causing blindness, kidney failure, heart attack and stroke. People with this disease have to take daily medication to control their blood sugar levels.
While no cure for diabetes is currently available, there are a number of promising treatment options under development. Some of these treatments put diabetes into remission.
Gene Therapy
Diabetes is a condition that causes high levels of blood sugar, caused by a problem with the regulation of insulin, a hormone responsible for glucose uptake into cells. The two main types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2.
Researchers are using gene therapy to treat people who have genetic diseases that cause their genes to be faulty. They use viruses to deliver new copies of a missing gene or to add in a new one.
But these techniques are still at very early stages of development, and there are many obstacles to overcome. Some of the biggest problems include toxicity, inflammatory responses, and gene control and targeting issues.
Scientists are also unsure how long gene therapy will last, so it may not be a permanent cure for diabetes. However, it could help delay symptoms and lower blood sugar levels.
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cells may have potential applications for a number of medical conditions, including diabetes. These cells can regenerate tissue, reduce inflammation and modify the immune system.
Research has shown that a cell therapy that coaxes the diabetic pancreas to make insulin, a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels, can significantly improve glucose control in patients with type 1 diabetes. This treatment could also help prevent diabetic complications like heart disease, stroke and blindness.
The use of stem cell therapy for diabetes is a relatively new area of scientific investigation. While some research has been promising, more studies are needed before these therapies can be considered safe and effective.
The most promising potential stem cell therapies for diabetes involve regenerating beta cells in the pancreas. These can be made using blood stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow. However, these therapies still face significant challenges with overcoming the body’s immune system.
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is a branch of science and engineering that focuses on designing, producing, and using structures, devices, and systems with dimensions of one or more nanometres (100 millionths of a millimetre) or less. These structures have previously been involved in technologies and processes, but the ability to intentionally manipulate them has made nanotechnology a viable option for research and development.
In a study published in ACS Nano, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed injectable nanoparticles that may someday eliminate the need for patients with Type 1 diabetes to constantly monitor their blood-sugar levels and then self-inject insulin. The system is designed to sense glucose levels in the body and respond by secreting the appropriate amount of insulin, thereby replacing the function of pancreatic islet cells that are destroyed in Type 1 diabetes.
Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that draws on several scientific areas, including applied physics, materials science, and colloidal science. It leverages a wide range of analytical tools such as the atomic force microscope, and the scanning tunneling microscope to advance its development.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is the ability for a computer to learn, process, and automate quickly and effectively. It can be used for a variety of applications, including recommendation algorithms that suggest what you should buy next or chatbots that interact with users on websites and in smart speakers.
Using AI to detect diabetes is an exciting prospect that could significantly improve patient outcomes. AI-powered systems offer a range of capabilities, from automated retinal screening to clinical decision support and predictive population risk stratification.
Machine learning algorithms use data from multiple sources to develop predictions about future conditions. They are also able to self-correct, so they can continually improve their accuracy.
Despite the many potential benefits of AI, there are concerns about its ability to replace humans in the workplace and the ethics of its use. In addition, it is unclear whether artificial intelligence can be regulated by governments and is therefore vulnerable to malicious use.
