American Diabetes Association Research Update: Amaranth
Diabetes Foundation Chooses Which Researchers to Support
For the past fifteen years, the generous funds raised by the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation (ADF) for the
American Diabetes Association Research Foundation (ADRF) have been directed to specific research
projects. The ADARF always took great care to choose the “best of the best” researchers whose work
aligned with the interests of the ADF Board. But today, we are able to give your members a greater say in
determining how your money is being spent. The ADF Board will now choose the three ADAsponsored researchers it will support for a three-year period.
Here’s a look at the selection process and the new projects YOUR ADF Board has chosen to support.
Step 1: Every three years, beginning in 2015, representatives from ADA will present several
cutting-edge research projects to officers on the ADF Board. In February of 2015, Dr. Allison
McElvaine, Director of Research Communications and Angela Nazworth, Director of Philanthropic
Communications met with H.L. Bizzy Herbolsheimer, H.L. Victoria Ault, S.K. Del Militare, H.L. Dianne
Dean and S.K. Stoney Pavlik to present six different projects from researchers across the country.
Before selecting which researchers to present to the ADF Board members, Angela met with H.L. Bizzy to
discuss which research topics and geographic regions of the U.S. would be of most interest.
Step 2: The ADF Board will vote to decide which researchers to select. ADF also has the option to
request additional researchers to choose from if they are not 100% happy with the original
choices presented. This year, all ADF leaders who attended the presentation were very happy with the
options and decided to submit those six choices to all ADF Board members. After a majority was reached,
H.L. Bizzy informed the ADA of the decision.
Step 3: The money donated to the ADARF from the ADF will be applied to the new projects at the
start of the Amaranth’s next fiscal year. Projects of the three researchers currently supported by the
ADF (Dr. Piganelli, Dr. Willis and Dr. Kishore) are coming to a close, so the next gift from ADF in July will
be directed to the three new projects selected by your Board. It is the intention of ADF to fund the three
selected projects for duration of the three-year grant cycle.
As always, the lead scientists from each project will be invited to attend the Supreme Session and all will
provide timely progress updates that ADA will share. The ADF board will be kept closely informed on
how your money is being spent.
The American Diabetes Association would like to take this opportunity to once again thank each and
every Amaranth member for being a champion of diabetes research! Today it is evident that research
funded and supported by the Association—much of which has been made possible because of ADF—
contributes immeasurably to the development of treatments and initiatives that allow people with
diabetes to live longer, healthier, and more comfortable lives. Knowing that so much has already been
done drives our efforts to Stop Diabetes® with continual pursuit of a cure!
Meet the Researchers ADF will Sponsor for the Next Three Years:
Understanding the Connections between Cholesterol and Diabetes
Jeffrey S. Elmendorf, Ph.D.
Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
Total Grant Amount: $345,000
Project Description:
Many studies suggest that cholesterol accumulates in fat and muscle cells before insulin
resistance sets in. Lowering cholesterol in these cells seems to improve insulin sensitivity. Understanding how
cholesterol accumulates in fat and muscle cells can lead to new ways to treat or prevent diabetes. This study seeks
to understand how increased cholesterol production occurs, and how it is linked to insulin resistance. Preliminary
studies suggest that the accumulation of cholesterol in fat and muscle cells prevents insulin from moving glucose
into the cells. This study may lead to the use of new or existing cholesterol-lowering medications to more
effectively treat, and ultimately prevent, diabetes.
How will this work help a person with diabetes?
Our work suggests that lowering excess cholesterol in fat and muscle improves blood glucose levels.
Understanding how cholesterol levels are increased in these cells and how excess cholesterol is linked to diabetes
risk holds promise to lead to new ways to treat and prevent diabetes.
Improving Wound Therapy to Reduce Amputations in Diabetes
Lawrence A. Lavery, D.P.M.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Total Grant Amount: $595,879
Project Description:
Infected foot wounds are one of the most common reasons for hospitalization and amputation
among people with diabetes. This study will evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
(NPWT). NPWT is done with a device that applies gentle suction to the wound using special dressings. This study
will compare NPWT with continuous antiseptic irrigation to "traditional" NPWT. The study uses NPWT as a drug
delivery system to reduce bacterial infection and accelerate wound healing. Enrolled patients will be assigned
randomly to receive either traditional NPWT or NPWT with irrigation. The study results will demonstrate whether
NPWT with antiseptic irrigation reduces infections and promotes wound healing in complex diabetic foot wounds. If
successful, the study could lead to a significant reduction in the costs of surgical intervention and length of hospital
stay.
How will this work help a person with diabetes?
For patients with diabetes and infected wounds, improved therapies to eradicate infection and speed healing should
protect people with diabetes from amputation. This project will give surgeons evidence-based treatment options to
improve limb reconstruction and salvage.
Order of the Amaranth Crown and Sword Article: April 2015
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Regenerating Beta Cells to Treat and Prevent Diabetes
Laura Cristina Alonso, M.D.
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
Total Grant Amount: $345,000
Project Description:
The risk of getting type 2 diabetes is determined, in part, by genetics. Large studies in
thousands of people have identified certain regions of DNA that increase diabetes risk, but how these genetic
differences lead to diabetes is not known. One of the regions of DNA associated with diabetes lies near genes that
are known to impact pancreatic beta cell (the cells that make insulin) number in mice. This project sets out to study
whether the genetic changes that increase diabetes risk alter human beta cells characteristics, like insulin
production, insulin secretion, and beta cell regeneration. We will compare responses in human beta cells from
donors with protective DNA changes against donors with risk-increasing DNA changes. Results from these studies
may help understand why certain people are at risk for diabetes, and which cellular processes are defective. It is
possible that these results may allow genetic testing to identify particular individuals in whom diabetes can be
prevented by medicines lowering blood lipid levels. In the long run, studies such as this will lead to personalized
medicine for diabetes prevention and treatment.
How will this work help a person with diabetes?
The long-term goal of this project is to find ways to get beta cells to re-grow, in order to prevent or treat diabetes.
This project may result in improved understanding of what stops beta cells from undergoing cell division, so we can
find ways to solve this problem. In addition, we hope it will allow for the creation of a genetic test to determine
which treatment might have the best chance of working for each patient.
Order of the Amaranth Crown and Sword Article: April 2015
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