Four research teams across the UK are testing if beta cells produced in the US by the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) can survive being shipped to the UK and still work properly in research studies. 

Background to the research

Beta cells are the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. In people with type 1 diabetes, these cells are destroyed by the immune system. Scientists are now able to grow beta cells from stem cells in the lab. They are using these in scientific studies to develop treatments for people with type 1 diabetes. 

One challenge is that making beta cells in the lab is complicated and time-consuming. By using AMRI’s pre-made beta cells, researchers would be able to save time and ensure all studies use consistent, high-quality cells. This would help speed up research on beta cell therapies for people with type 1 diabetes. 

What will the teams do?

Each of the four teams will: 

• Test whether ARMI’s beta cells survive the journey from the US to the UK. 

• Check if the cells function well after transportation.  

• Compare ARMI’s beta cells with the ones they make in their own labs to see which are most effective. 

Each team will use the approaches that suit their expertise: 

• Professor David Hodson (University of Oxford) and Dr Catherine Arden & Dr William Scott (Newcastle University) will study the cells in lab dishes to see how they behave under controlled conditions. 

• Professor Shanta Persaud (King’s College London) and Professor Shareen Forbes (University of Edinburgh) will study the cells both in lab dishes and in animals to see how they perform in a living system. 

Together, these tests will show how well the shipped beta cells survive and work. 

How will this research help people with type 1 diabetes?

Right now, growing enough beta cells for research is slow and expensive. If the shipped cells are shown to survive the journey successfully, UK researchers would have access to ready-to-use, high-quality beta cells more easily. This would speed up research into beta cell therapies, which could one day help people with type 1 diabetes produce their own insulin again.