Pancreatic islets are mini-organs that make and release insulin and several other peptide hormones to control our glucose levels. Although various studies have previously looked at how pancreatic cells communicate with each other, the exact nature of these chemical signals has remained unknown. In a new study, researchers have measured a new set of molecules to determine how these cell-to-cell change in healthy and type 2 diabetes-affected islets to identify therapeutic targets.  

Researchers who focus on fat know that some adipose tissue is more prone to inflammation-related comorbidities than others, but the reasons why are not well understood. Thanks to a new analytical technique, scientists are getting a clearer view of the microenvironments found within adipose tissue associated with obesity. This advance may illuminate why some adipose tissues are more prone to inflammation – leading to diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disorders – and help direct future drug therapies to treat obesity.

As a result of intersecting research interests in women’s health, a new collaboration was forged between Zeynep Madak-Erdogan (GSP/ONC-PM), Assistant Professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Justina Zurauskiene (ONC-PM), Birmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement and Education (BRIDGE) fellow and fellow at the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences in Birmingham, England. Founded in 2014, the BRIDGE program is an ongoing partnership between the University of Birmingham and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.