Imagine a Universal Vaccine for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
- JDRF
- Oct 4, 2017
- 1 min read
Why it matters
T1D is a chronic, life-threatening autoimmune disease that is currently not preventable. Eighty-five percent of people who develop it have no family history of the disease, and epidemiologists predict a threefold increase in the number of young people who have T1D by 2050.
At JDRF, we want to change that outlook and make it possible that no one ever again develops T1D. The ultimate aim of our Prevention Program is creating a childhood vaccine to immunize against the causes of T1D. While we work toward that goal, we also are committed to stopping the progression of T1D once it’s begun so we can prevent dependency on insulin therapy.
Our pioneering research
JDRF-funded research has identified a number of potential triggers associated with the onset of T1D, including viruses and environmental conditions. These discoveries could point to ways of developing vaccines that will stop the triggers and prevent autoimmune attacks on the body’s insulin-producing cells.
We’re pursuing a number of promising approaches to prevention, including therapies that prevent or reverse specific gut bacteria changes that have been associated with the development of T1D.
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