New thesis paves the way for earlier detection and new treatments for type 1 diabetes

What is the main focus of your thesis?

My thesis covers type 1 diabetes and factors that may be involved in causing the disease, such as infections of a virus called coxsackievirus. The thesis is focused on new ways for us to early detect an ongoing coxsackievirus infection and early stages of type 1 diabetes, and on novel drugs to prevent the viral infection.

Which are the most important results?

The most important results are that we show that a class of cell signaling molecules called type III interferons may be involved in type 1 diabetes development. Furthermore, we found several microRNAs and proteins that indicate coxsackievirus infection and could allow for early treatment against the virus. Finally we found that a drug currently used against cancer also has antiviral effects in clinically relevant models.

How can this new knowledge contribute to the improvement of people’s health?

This knowledge contributes to our understanding of what it is that causes type 1 diabetes, and it could lead to new methods to detect the disease at a very early stage in addition to new drugs to treat this potentially diabetes-causing virus.

What are your future ambitions?

I am aiming to continue as a researcher in the type 1 diabetes field, to aid in the work so that we one day can prevent and cure the disease.

Thesis defence

Friday 16 October, 09:30, 9Q Månen, floor 9, ANA Futura, Alfred Nobels allé 8, Flemingsberg

Thesis

Type 1 Diabetes: Immunomodulatory Cytokines, Predictive Biomarkers and Antiviral Therapies