Introducing MICHs’ NEW Metabolism & Diabetes Theme!

Published by: michadmin on January 25th, 2012

Introducing MICHs’ NEW Metabolism & Diabetes Theme!
(With Co-leaders Dr. Grant Hatch & Jon McGavock) 

At the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, a unique framework of developing and established research themes encourages and assists research collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists. Themes are areas relevant to child health with faculty of recognized excellence acknowledged as having critical mass within the Institute. Theme members are scientists of a national calibre, hold extensive individual, national, or international research funding support, and bring unique strengths to the theme, increasing the theme’s ability to collaborate and make progress beyond the capacity of individual efforts.

 

What is the new theme about?

G: Improving the health of children with diabetes by making basic and clinically relevant discoveries that will serve as the foundation for the development of strategies to improve diagnosis, prevention and management of complications related to obesity and diabetes.

J: The theme was created to improve the health of children with diabetes by focusing on two main research areas. First, we hope to gain a better understanding of why some children are more susceptible to diabetes than others. In particular we are focusing on the maternal and early life factors that may render some children susceptible to diabetes. Second, we want to prevent complications of diabetes in youth living with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. We have assembled a team of Manitoba’s best scientists to tackle these important research areas and the discoveries we make will improve diagnosis, prevention and management diabetes in children.

 

Why is it important to MICH?

G: Type 2 diabetes is the fastest growing chronic illness in Canada and while it was once considered a disease of aging, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in youth has increased nearly 10-fold in the past two decades.  It now accounts for 40-80% of newly diagnosed cases of diabetes in many paediatric diabetes centers. Type 2 diabetes increases the risk for debilitating complications including nephropathy, retinopathy, and peripheral vascular disease. The natural history of the disease and it complications remains poorly understood and there exists limited data to guide physicians with practical clinical management. We plan to create a research environment to develop and carry out clinically relevant and timely research studies that are designed to resolve one of the most serious pediatric problems that Manitoba is currently facing.

J: In the 1980’s there were no cases of type 2 diabetes in children in the province. Last year, 50% of the children diagnosed with diabetes inManitoba, were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.MICH is committed to improving the lives of children inManitoba through research. The current theme was created specifically to accelerate discoveries that will reduce the number of children that develop type 2 diabetes and complications in those already diagnosed.

 

When will the NEW theme be official?

J: The theme will be unveiled to the public in the spring of this year. We have createdManitoba’s first state of the art imaging centre focused on complications of diabetes. We are working on developingManitoba’s first support programs for helping children with type 2 diabetes manage their condition.

 

How did you get started in Diabetes?

G: My laboratory has been interested in mitochondrial metabolism for almost 20 years.  Mitochondria are the power house of the cell and are responsible for generating energy for cells to work and function normally. We now know that mitochondrial function is profoundly influenced in diabetes. A number of years ago we had published some work which showed that diabetes alters the synthesis of some structural lipids or fat components of mitochondria but until recently we didn’t have the tools or the collaborations to follow this up in a clinical setting. The theme puts us in a unique position to examine the influence of diabetes on mitochondrial function in both a basic science as well as clinical discovery setting.

J: I have focused on the prevention of type 2 diabetes and it’s complications for the last 13 years. My past training has been focused on applying novel imaging tools to detect the earliest changes in the body that suggest complications are going to develop. I have also always been committed to studying the role of physical activity as a method for preventing type 2 diabetes and its complications. Since returning toWinnipeg in 2006, our group has discovered new biomarkers for type 2 diabetes in youth. We have also created an infrastructure to provide families with resources for screening and prevention of type 2 diabetes in their children. The new theme will significantly enhance our capacity to deliver better programs and discover new markers of complications related to diabetes in children.

 

Who is involved in the new theme?

G: The new theme initially involves myself and Jon and Doctors. Vernon Dolinsky, Heather Dean, Elizabeth Sellers, Brandy Wicklow, Allison Dart, Tom Blyt-Hanson and Jim Davie. However, we intend to expand theme membership as the theme research directions mature.

J: Other clinicians and researchers in Manitoba will be recruited to work with us including Doctors, Todd Duhamel, Shayne Tayback, Paul Fernyhough and Davinder Jassal.

 

Where will the theme be located?

G: The research is conducted in my lab 531, Dr. McGavock’s lab and Dr. Dolinsky’s lab.

J: The theme will operate within MICH however interventions will be delivered within the community. Currently a number of projects are being delivered at local YMCA-YWCA facilities and remote northern communities to help support children at risk for or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in children.