Diabetes Virtual Camp

August 11, 2025. Session 8. “Redox Biology in Diabetes: Lessons from the Glutathione Spectrum” by Dr. Vasilis Vasiliou (Yale School of Public Health). Dr. Vasiliou began with an introduction to the glutathione (GSH) spectrum as a double-edged sword in redox biology, describing GSH in diabetes and redox biology in metabolism. He discussed the important role of oxidative stress in human diseases, highlighting low GSH levels in the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease, and the protective role of the antioxidant system. Catalase is an antioxidant enzyme, and his earlier research found that the loss of catalase can promote prediabetic and obesity phenotypes. Dr. Vasiliou showed how a conditional deletion of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic (Gclc) subunit, the rate-limiting step in GSH biosynthesis, in the pancreas results in a severe diabetes phenotype at an early age due to loss of insulin-producing beta-cells and defects in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. These effects were associated with oxidative stress in their islets. Using a tamoxifen-inducible approach to ablate the Gclc gene in later life, Dr. Vasiliou found that mice initially developed hyperinsulinemia that was followed by hyperglycemia and delayed diabetes phenotypes. The early preservation of redox balance despite reduced GSH levels may be due to compensatory mechanisms that are insufficient to maintain beta-cell function over time. In all, these exciting findings from Dr. Vailiou’s laboratory offer new insight into the role of GSH biosynthesis in maintaining beta-cell health in the adult pancreas.

August 8, 2025. Session 6. “How Did I Get Here? One Scientist’s Journey” by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). Today’s exciting program continued with Caroline Blanco, Senior Director of Professional Engagement, introducing her role for the American Diabetes Association and celebrating our global audience. This was followed by Dr. Maureen Gannon, our 2021 Expert, whose inspirational presentation still reverberates in the minds of many of our past interns, graciously returning to lead today’s session. Dr. Gannon began by sharing how “Everyone has had different life experiences and different paths. The path you walk shapes how you see the world and what you bring to the scientific process. She shared her humble beginning and the many twists and turns throughout her journey, some unexpected, yet she made the most out of her opportunities, leading her to success. What an inspiring story and priceless advice for our interns! She then discussed her lifelong research on studying different ways to increase the functional beta-cell mass, discovering several pathways that can increase beta-cell mass and stimulate beta-cell proliferation, highlighting the role of the Foxm1 transcription factor, which decreases with age. Her research found that FoxM1 activation enhanced beta-cell proliferation in aging mice, and FoxM1 also protected beta-cells against cytokines. She further showed how prostaglandin E2 receptors, EP3 and EP4, had opposing effects on beta-cell survival and proliferation. Dr. Gannon summarized how combined EP3 antagonism EP4 agonism preserves beta-cell mass and may prevent or delay type 1 diabetes.

August 8, 2025. Session 5. Role of Social Determinants of Health in Diabetes Care by Dr. Enrique Caballero (Harvard Medical School). The DVSC25 continued today with 2 inspirational Experts, Dr. Enrique Caballero from Harvard Medical School and Dr. Maureen Gannon from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Dr. Caballero began with the basic triad in diabetes care, involving the healthcare system, healthcare provider, and patient. An important variable in diabetes care lies in the social determinants of health: socioeconomic status (education, income, occupation), neighborhood and physical environment (housing, built environment, toxic environmental exposures), food environment (food insecurity, food access, food availability, food affordability), health care (access, affordability, quality), and social context (social cohesion, social capital, social support). Dr. Caballero highlighted how the same area with high diabetes prevalence is the same area with high food deserts, indicating the importance of assessing food insecurity by healthcare providers. Dr. Caballero shared how he discusses with his patients about nutrition and food resources and guides their access to healthcare, offering comprehensive care necessary to tackle a multifactorial disease, such as diabetes. He also shared some creative approaches involving group medical visits where patients learn from each other and peer support intervention, involving the community. In all, Dr. Caballero summarized the multiple voices in diabetes care, extending beyond the basic triad and including government policies, social structure, educational institutions, professional organizations, patient advocacy groups, non-profit and community-based organizations, health insurance companies, and manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and devices.