Clinical trials in beta cell replacement are creating a buzz among the diabetes community. We explain what beta cell therapies are, how close they could be to becoming a potential treatment option, and how Grand Challenge research is helping bring them closer to the reality.  

In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas, which make insulin. Insulin is essential for regulating our blood sugar levels. So people with type 1 have to check blood sugar and take insulin multiple times a day, every day, to stay alive. 

For many people, the advances in diabetes technologies mean that some of this constant checking and dosing can now be done automatically by continuous glucose monitoring and hybrid closed loop systems. However, even the latest tech cannot get close to mimicking the body’s finely tuned system for keeping glucose in check.  

One of the most promising routes to a cure for type 1 diabetes is to seek ways to replace the lost beta cells and restore insulin production. We know it can work – the first successful human transplants of beta cells taken from a donor happened as far back as 1990.  

The parts of the pancreas that contain beta cells are known as islets. In 2008, the UK launched an islet transplant programme for people with type 1 diabetes who experience frequent life-threatening episodes of low blood sugars (severe hypoglycaemia, or ‘hypos’) but have no awareness of the warning signs. It was an exciting advance, offering the hope of freedom from insulin therapy for some. 

Islet transplants are limited

While islet transplants are pretty effective at giving people more stable blood sugar levels and cutting episodes of dangerous lows, there are several reasons why they’re not widely suitable as a treatment for type 1:  

• Data suggests that an average of 3 donor pancreases are needed for 1 successful transplant. Donor organs are sourced from deceased individuals and – like most transplant programmes – the demand severely outweighs the supply of usable tissue.    

• Transplants from a donor may be rejected by the body, so recipients must take lifelong medication to suppress their immune system (immunosuppressants). This leaves people compromised – at greater risk of certain cancers and severe infections.  

• Despite immunosuppression, transplanted islets often fail to survive in the long term because they can’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need.  

• While they can allow some people to temporarily stop insulin therapy, this is rarely permanent. Over time, most people will need insulin again, although usually at lower doses. 

Fewer than 350 islet cell transplants took place in the UK between 2008 and 2022. There’s an urgent need to find effective and sustainable alternative approaches to beta cell replacement that can be accessed by many more people with type 1. That’s why beta cell replacement is one of the three major research themes of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. 

Exciting trials underway

Some of the most talked-about research happening in type 1 diabetes right now are clinical trials in beta cell replacement.  

One trial, led by a company called Vertex, is testing transplants of beta cells grown in the lab. The results have been really promising, with some participants no longer needing insulin. However, they still need powerful immunosuppressants to prevent rejection. The treatment is now in the final phase of testing, and if all goes well, Vertex plans to seek global approval in 2026. It’s likely this would initially only be for people who experience frequent severe hypos and have no hypo awareness.   

In October 2024, Chinese researchers reported positive results using beta cells grown from a patient’s own stem cells. It’s very early days – they only tested it in one person – but this approach has potential to overcome the rejection problem because the transplanted cells would be recognised as ‘self’.  

Another first-in-human study was reported by Sana Biotechnology at the start of 2025. They used donor beta cells but gene-edited them to become invisible to the immune system. After four weeks the transplanted cells had avoided immune attack and were producing insulin.  

The bigger picture

Type 1 diabetes is complex and we’re unlikely to land on a one-size-fits-all cure. So, while the current trials are hotly anticipated, they’re only one part of the story. And that’s why the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge is funding over £16 million into 10 research projects looking at building better beta cells for transplantation, protecting beta cells during and after transplantation and regrowing beta cells in people with type 1 diabetes.

Nearly two decades after the islet transplant programme launched in the UK, we’re getting closer to better beta cell replacement therapies. And the Grand Challenge is helping to push the pace of progress so that more people can be released from the daily burden and dangerous complications of type 1 diabetes.   

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge took centre stage at this year’s Diabetes UK Professional Conference, uniting researchers and people affected by type 1 diabetes to share their expertise and celebrate progress with the wider diabetes community.  

Our community in the spotlight 

The main Grand Challenge session was a powerful showcase of our ever-growing community, featuring 13 new projects we’ve funded in the last year. 

The session began with updates from researchers working to build better beta cells in the lab from stem cells, protect new cells during and after transplantation, and regrow beta cells in people with type 1 diabetes. 

Later on in the conference, we heard more about islet transplantation, using cells from donor pancreases. Prof Shareen Forbes discussed the potential of microparticle drug delivery to protect transplanted islets and improve their survival. And we were joined by Dr Vicky Salem who highlighted innovations in biomaterials that could transform islet transplantation. 

Our immune insights project leads shared exciting progress on targeting the type 1 immune system attack in safer and more effective ways.  Dr James Pearson revealed that some immune cells follow a daily rhythm, and that’s why his project is testing if immunotherapies timed to these cycles will improve their effectiveness.  

We also welcomed Profs Michael Weiss, Matthew Webber and Zhiqiang Cao, who discussed their eye-opening ideas to develop novel insulins that could act more quickly and precisely, ultimately reducing the burden of type 1 diabetes management. 

Picture of Profs Michael Weiss, Matthew Webber accepting their awards; credit: © Julie Broadfoot

You can find more details about each project presented at DUKPC on our funded projects page. 

Lived experience at the heart of research 

A dedicated session at DUKPC highlighted how the quality and impact of Grand Challenge research is being enhanced by meaningfully involving people with lived experience of type 1. 

Heather Robinson, a Together Type 1 young leader, shared striking statistics on the difficulties of transitioning from paediatric to adult diabetes care, underscoring the need for greater involvement from those directly affected. 

Dr James Pearson echoed this, sharing how the challenge of recruiting young adults with type 1 for research led him to involve them more actively through the Cardiff Diabetes Innovation Committee. Committee members reflected on how this engagement deepened their understanding of type 1 diabetes and ensured research truly benefits those who need it most. 

Picture of Dr James Pearson and Lilly from the Cardiff Diabetes Innovation Committe; credit: © Philippa Gedge Photography

Recognising the importance of lived experience in research, Professor Sean Dinneen spoke about working with young adults with type 1 to identify gaps in care and improve treatments, while Dr O’Donnell showcased his project co-developing user-led technology that prioritises real-life experiences and emotional well-being. 

Amelia Burke, a glass artist from Wales and mum of Ruby who lives with type 1, emphasised that involvement must be accessible and approachable. Her interactions with Grand Challenge researchers inspired her to use artistic methods to represent her daughter’s experience and raise awareness about beta cell therapies. 

Heather shared her experience at the conference with us:  

“Getting to experience DUKPC from multiple perspectives was such a unique and unforgettable opportunity. From interviewing researchers, speaking on a panel, meeting other Young Leaders from the Together Type 1 program and presenting in the Grand Challenge Patient and Public Involvement session, it was a jam-packed few days! Being able to watch the involvement of experts by experience increase over the past few years has been brilliant, and with the collaboration of Steve Morgan Foundation, Diabetes UK and Breakthrough T1D has only developed this. Speaking with researchers and experts by experience brought such a broad range of viewpoints and I’m so excited for the future of patient-led diabetes research and healthcare.” 

Picture of Heather with Dr Craig Beall at DUKPC

Bringing research to reality 

For research to truly make an impact, scientific breakthroughs must be translated into real-world solutions. And that’s exactly what we’re aiming to achieve through the Grand Challenge— accelerating great ideas to change the lives of those affected by type 1 diabetes. As part of this, we hosted a ‘Top Tips on Commercialisation’ session, bringing together experts in research funding, policy, and entrepreneurship to share practical advice on turning research into real-world impact. This is just the beginning —throughout this year we’ll continue to support our community in in moving innovations from the lab into people’s lives. 

Dr Andy Chapman, CEO and Co-Founder of Carbometrics says: 

“Thank you to Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge for inviting me to speak at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2025 in Glasgow. It was a privilege to join such an esteemed panel to discuss the challenges and future of commercialisation in diabetes technology, and connect with fellow innovators in this space.” 

Dr Bethany Cragoe, Charity Business Manager of LifeArc, says:  

“Charities are crucial in getting research to patients by leveraging the expertise of many stakeholders including patients, scientists, clinicians, and industry partners. Technology transfer is key in this process, and early engagement with technology transfer offices helps develop effective intellectual property strategies and potential routes to patient benefit.  

“Researchers should understand the translational pathway and plan early to ensure their work benefits patients. Building strong networks with industry and funders is key to success in this journey. Organisations and initiatives such as Knowledge Exchange UK, Innovate UK and Association of Technology Transfer Professionals can support this. All these elements must come together to ensure that the funded research outputs are able to realise their maximum potential for patient benefit.” 

Picture of Dr Bethany Cragoe speaking at the ‘Top Tips on Commercialisation’ credit: © Philippa Gedge Photography 

We’re launching a new funding call to address the limited availability of stem cell-derived beta cells for research purposes.  

The aim is to facilitate more high-quality research into beta cell therapies, speeding up progress towards a cure for type 1 diabetes. 

To achieve this, we’ve partnered with the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), the US leading organisation in manufacturing cells, tissues and organs. 

Funding is available for UK-based researchers to test if stem cell-derived beta cells produced by ARMI can survive shipment from the US to the UK. And if they can, whether they work as expected in both lab studies and living organisms.   

We’re inviting UK experts with a track record of producing and testing stem cell-derived beta cells to apply for funding to test ARMI’s beta cells. Funding is available for up to three sites across the UK.  

Successful researchers will also have the opportunity to directly compare ARMI’s beta cells with their own lab-made beta cells. This may help them to improve their own production process and identify the most effective product for wider rollout. 

The hope is that it will enable the development of a reliable supply of high-quality, pre-made stem cell-derived beta cells for use by UK scientists. By saving researchers time and ensuring consistency across studies, this initiative is expected to accelerate the development of new beta cell replacement therapies. 

Apply for funding

Details about the call can be found here. You’ll need to submit your application by 31 January 2025. 

If you’re interested in applying, we strongly encourage you to attend our funding call webinar on 8 January 2025 at 14:00 GMT and reach out to the T1DGC Research Funding Team to discuss the opportunity further (smfgrandchallenge@diabetes.org.uk).  

The Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI | BioFabUSA) said:

“ARMI is proud to partner with the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge to advance beta cell research. By providing high-quality, stem cell-derived beta cells for validation, we aim to accelerate breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes treatment and improve the scalability of regenerative therapies. This initiative represents a critical step in bridging global efforts to bring innovative solutions to patients.”

Professor Matthias Hebrok, Vice Chair of the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Scientific Advisory Panel, said:  

“Testing stem cell derived islets produced by a foundry for their functional properties upon being sent to the UK is critical to ensure high quality tissues will be available to accelerate research in type 1 diabetes.” 

Funding call: Stem Cell Derived Beta Cell Product Validation Sites

Amount: Up to three grants available with the total for each site determined by the costs required by each Host Institution to deliver the work described. 

Duration: ~12-months for the validation study with work likely commencing from the end of May 2025 subject to cell production and shipping arrangements.  

Skills: Independent group leaders with teams who have a track record of working with and/or producing stem cell derived beta cells and studying them both in vitro and in vivo. 

Location: Will fund up to three validation sites. The Principal Applicant at each location must be based at an academic Host Institution in the UK. Applications led by or including commercial organisations will be considered on a case by case basis.

Process: Short application submitted through the online grant’s portal, accompanied by a full financial breakdown, by 31 January 2025. 

Purpose: To test and validate stem cell derived beta cell products manufactured by the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI). Applicants may propose additional, related project tasks (e.g., the inclusion of additional stem cell derived beta cell sources for comparison).  

There is a need to address the limited availability of stem cell derived beta cells for academic research studies. To achieve this at pace we have partnered with the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), based in New Hampshire, US. ARMI focuses on the scalable, consistent, cost-effective manufacture of cell-based products. Scaled manufacture will enable a reliable supply of stem cell derived beta cells to researchers, and the three original validation sites will be prioritised for consideration as major distribution hubs.   

If you’re interested in applying, you can refer to some frequently asked questions here, or watch the below webinar recording and hear from Diabetes UK and ARMI teams, who have given more contexts to this funding call and some top tips for making a stand out application. Or you may refer to some frequently asked questions here.

Scope 

The validation study is designed to determine cell viability in shipping from the US to the UK, as well as cell function both in vitro and in vivo. Flexibility on receipt and testing days will be needed due to the unknowns that can occur with international shipments. As above, applicants may propose additional, related project tasks (e.g., the inclusion of additional stem cell derived beta cell sources for comparison). To note, the three sites will need to use standard procedures to ensure the results are comparable and therefore, will be required to collaborate if successful. The same transplant procedure will also ideally be adopted at all three locations.  

We are also open to applicants pitching to add a third comparator to the study, if they also have a proven protocol used in their laboratories to produce stem cell derived beta cells and test in vitro and in vivo.  All results generated must be shared back with ARMI and each site will use aligned collection and reporting templates/platforms. 

Scope of Work for the Stem Cell Derived Beta Cell Validation Study  

The Scope of Work (SOW) includes the ability to:  

• Receive stem cell derived beta cells and maintain in culture until in vitro and in vivo assessment is performed; 

• Perform in vitro assays to assess stem cell derived beta cell morphologically, compositionally (e.g. by flow cytometry) and functionally (e.g. glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assay);  

• Perform 12-week in vivo assessment of the stem cell derived beta cells by implanting under the kidney capsule of a suitable mouse model of diabetes (e.g. streptozotocin-induction in an immunodeficient background) and assess by using the appropriate tests (e.g., blood glucose measurement, animal weight, human c-peptide, periodic intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test); 

• And perform histology on explanted grafts to assess graft durability.  

Eligibility criteria  

This call is open to non-clinical and clinical independent group leaders based at academic Host Institutions within the UK. Applications led by or including commercial organisations will be accepted and considered on a case by case basis, and we encourage you to contact the T1DGC Research Funding Team to discuss your application. Applications must be led by one Principal Applicant but can include other experts from their or other Host Institutions as Co-Applicants/Collaborators plus project management/co-ordinator support. As we will fund up to three sites that will be required to collaborate if successful, we are open to receiving applications that are interlinked from the start. But separate submissions will still be required.   

Skills and expertise  

In addition to experience of working with and/or producing and testing stem cell derived beta cells, the appropriate Home Office approvals should be in place, or able to be, by the earliest start date of 31 May 2025, to conduct the animal studies described.  

Assessment criteria  

Applications will be scientifically assessed by a subset of the Beta Cell Therapy Reviewer college, a group of international beta cell experts, and co-opted experts where necessary. The reviewers will focus on:   

• Relevant experience, skills, and expertise in beta cell therapy research.  

• The research environment and personnel, and the ability to conduct and deliver the experiments as described in the SOW provided as part of the funding call, within the timeframe described.  

• Ambition to help address this barrier to progress, the availability of stem cell derived beta cells for research purposes.  

The recommendation from the Scientific Review Panel will be considered by ARMI, the Beta Cell Therapy Scientific Advisory Panel, who provide strategic guidance to the partnership, and the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Partnership Steering Group, composed of representatives from the three partner organisations Diabetes UK, the Steve Morgan Foundation and Breakthrough T1D UK.  

Guidelines and Terms and Conditions 

General Guidelines for Research Grant Applicants 

Steve Morgan Foundation Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge Grant Conditions 

A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) will need to be signed for applicants to receive and test the cells. As this is a validation study using cells provided by ARMI some of the specific grant conditions for work funded by the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge will not be relevant. For any work carried out on other cells sources, the standard terms apply.   

Funding  

Financial leverage is essential to the T1DGC initiative as we can do more together. Therefore, we ask that Applicants discuss this opportunity with their Host Institutions and explore how we can work in partnership, such as covering indirect costs and making contributions to the direct costs of research.  

Funds can be used to cover: 

• Material and consumable costs.  

• Equipment costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis as the SOW has been designed to not require the use of specialist technology. Please contact the T1DGC Research Funding Team to discuss this further.  

• Project manager/co-ordinator costs are strongly encouraged but need to be fully justified within the application. 

• Staff salaries. For example: technicians, research assistants, postdoctoral researchers*. Applicants are encouraged to include named staff on proposals.  

• Travel and accommodation costs to visit collaborating institutes. 

*Allowed/disallowed salary costs 

• Studentships are an ineligible cost for this funding call.  

• Diabetes UK will also not pay salaries on a cost recovery basis or for those already in receipt of a salary equivalent to 1FTE and is, therefore, unwilling to meet the salary costs of staff currently fully funded by the Higher Education Funding Council, NHS or equivalent. This usually applies to all Principal Applicants, Co-Applicants and Collaborators. 

• Where staff salaries are dependent on grant funding, we would require a letter from the Host Institute confirming they will not be in receipt of more than 1FTE for the duration of the award, if successful.  

• Diabetes UK will pay for named staff with specific expertise.  

• Costs for National Insurance contributions and any superannuation should be added to salary costs at the point of application. These costs will not be considered after an award has been made. Known salary increments may be included on the application form but national pay awards may not. 
• If you are unsure if the salary of a post will be covered, please contact the office to clarify. 

To apply

You can submit your application via the online grant’s portal. We also encourage you to reach out to the T1DGC Research Funding Team to discuss the opportunity further before you apply.

About the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) 

The Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire, is a not-for-profit, Member-driven, public-private partnership found to bring the scalable, consistent, cost-effective manufacture of life-saving, cell-based technologies to scale. Bolstered by the expertise of nearly 200 industry, academic, and civic Members, ARMI is building a new industry: biofabrication, that will transform the future of healthcare and restore health and quality of life for patients, families, and communities around the globe. 

In November, we hosted our Beta Cell Therapy and Root Causes Symposium, uniting the rapidly growing Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge community. More than 100 researchers, people with lived experience of type 1 diabetes, and collaborators came together for the first time. It was a space to share progress and fresh ideas, and to explore new collaborative opportunities, leveraging the diverse expertise within the community. Importantly, we also got to hear how people affected by type 1 diabetes have been working with research teams to ensure the discoveries and treatments scientists pursue are grounded in their needs. 

Dr Mirjam Eiswirth, who lives with type 1 diabetes and leads the Patient and Public Involvement activities for Prof Shareen Forbes and Dr Lisa White’s project, was one of our speakers. Here, she shares her thoughts on the symposium. 

“£50 million – that’s the incredible amount of money that the Steve Morgan Foundation has dedicated to the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge towards the race for a cure. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but as we heard at the Symposium – we’re well on track.”

Mirjam speaking at the symposium

A meeting of minds 

107 experts from 27 institutes across 8 countries and nations gathered in London for the first time to focus on two of the Grand Challenge’s strands: 

1. Root causes of type 1 diabetes: what is it that makes the immune system attack the pancreas, and how can we stop this?
2. Replacing beta cells: once the beta cells have been destroyed, how can we replace them with new, functioning ones to give the body a chance to make insulin again?

Can we restore insulin production in the body? 

We heard about innovative approaches Grand Challenge researchers are exploring to make beta cell transplants better, more efficient, and have fewer side effects. Or to even help existing healthy pancreatic cells morph into beta cells, so that the body can produce its own insulin again. Because, as Sarah Gatward, one of the experts by experience, so neatly put it: “Nothing can control blood glucose better than beta cells.” 

Could we stop type 1 diabetes from developing? 

The second key theme was understanding what happens in the body that makes it turn against itself and destroy beta cells in type 1 diabetes. If we could stop this immune attack early and protect the beta cells, we could potentially stop type 1 diabetes from developing at all.  

Grand Challenge teams told us about the innovative ways they’re hoping to do this, and some of the challenges to tackle along the way. We’d need to catch people early on the path to type 1 diabetes, which means we need good ways to screen for it. And we’d need to make sure we only stop the specific immune reaction at the root of type 1 diabetes, rather than suppressing the whole immune system. 

Putting people with lived experience at the centre of the Grand Challenge 

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge models the collaborative and disruptive spirit it champions: By including people with the lived experience from the get-go and every step on the way.  

Several experts by experience, including myself, gave updates on the different ways we’re getting involved, including reviewing research proposals, as patient and public involvement co-investigators, and as sounding boards when it comes to the applicability of any novel therapy the scientists develop. Because we can ask those uncomfortable “so what” questions or say, “this therapy only makes sense to me if it helps me for more than a year or two – it needs to be a proper cure”. 

For the researchers in the room, hearing more about our involvement, perspectives, and why they matter was invaluable. Dr Craig Beall, lead researcher, said:  “Hearing the voices of experts by experience was inspirational and at times emotional.” 

Anonymous feedback also reflected this: 

Expert by experience: “I felt I was able to help inform researchers and others of what their research means to those living with type 1 diabetes and I feel confident that my input has been taken on board and will be used to influence what they do and how they present their research. ” 

Early-career researcher: “I met several experts by experience and it really hammered home the importance of our research. I was astounded by the incredible role experts by experience played in shaping grant applications and steering research objectives.” 

Experts by experience talking about involving people living with type 1 diabetes at the symposium

Many perspectives, lively debates 

Senior researchers, early career researchers, and not least people with lived experience of type 1 diabetes shared their thoughts, hopes and projects related to the Grand Challenge. What unites us all is the vision of creating a world where diabetes can do no harm – and to be creative, think out of the box, work collaboratively, and work swiftly. 

One researcher summed it up: “It felt like a community, which was great.” 

Delegates chatting at the symposium

Looking ahead 

Personally, I am very excited about the progress we’ll make through these research projects. They have the potential to change the lives of millions of people with type 1 diabetes for the better.  A cure is still years, if not decades away – the journey to breakthroughs is a long and complex one. We need to move from discoveries in the lab, to testing new treatments with people in clinical trials, to ensuring widespread access to cures. But it’s a path filled with incredible moments of innovation and hope.  And I find myself just as excited for the journey as the destination.  

Researchers, practitioners and experts by experience working closely together, driven by shared ambition, can really make a difference. 

Professor Simon Heller is chair of all three scientific advisory panels in the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, covering beta cells, novel insulins and root causes of type 1 diabetes. Along with the leading experts who sit on these panels, Simon will help to steer the direction of the Grand Challenge to make sure our funding is invested in the right places, with the biggest potential to change the lives of people with type 1 diabetes. He is also Professor of Clinical Diabetes at the University of Sheffield and a world-renowned scientist, whose research has led the way in transforming our understanding of hypoglycaemia.

Why did you want to get involved with the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge?

Simon: “It was a huge honour to be asked to assist in determining how this huge amount of funding could best be used to benefit type 1 diabetes research in the UK. It’s important to me to do my best to see our research move more quickly towards a cure for people with type 1.”

How do you think the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge will be a game-changer for type 1 diabetes research?

“I hope that the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge will allow the UK to play a major part in moving the research landscape closer to a cure. It will hopefully enable us to do something much more rapidly than we otherwise would be able to.”

What would a cure for type 1 diabetes look like to you?

“A cure would be removing the burden of day-to-day self-management of type 1 diabetes. In particular, it would allow people with the condition to live a life of spontaneity and doing activities which those of us without diabetes often take for granted.”

How did you get into the field of type 1 diabetes research?

“When I arrived at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham as a trainee registrar, I was intending to be a cardiologist. But a six-month placement in a diabetes team changed that. The legendary diabetes researcher Robert Tattersall (who discovered MODY and introduced the world to self-monitoring blood glucose levels) was my boss. He was a wonderful teacher who taught me to listen to people with diabetes and learn for myself how much it asked of people in terms of self-management. He also showed me that it wasn’t the healthcare professionals who made the biggest impact on managing type 1, but instead how much the person themselves could learn and implement about this very complex condition. Robert inspired me to become a researcher and showed me what an interesting and important specialty diabetes is.”

What has been your career highlight so far?

“It’s hard to narrow it down. One highlight is bringing the DAFNE training course – which helps people with type 1 lead a healthy life – from Germany to the UK’s NHS. Another key achievement was discovering that repeated hypos lead to impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia and increased risk of hypoglycaemia. I feel fortunate that I have been involved in research which has made a difference to the lives of people with type 1.”

Tell us something we don’t know about diabetes or the pancreas

“When I was preparing a talk on hypoglycaemia, I learnt that the first definition of 1 unit of insulin was the amount of insulin which could cause an epileptic seizure in a rabbit. This is because over a hundred years ago when insulin was discovered, there was no way of measuring insulin amounts. I read this fact in a wonderful book by Michael Bliss titled The Discovery of Insulin.”

What are you currently working on?

“My main research project at the moment is working with researchers from the USA, UK and Australia on a large research trial. The study is testing what the most effective way of restoring the warnings for hypoglycaemia in people with type 1 who have lost them.”

What skills do you need to have to be a great researcher?

“From working with great researchers, I’ve learnt that they need to be curious, creative and persistent. The best clinical researchers listen to people with lived experience to ensure they address important questions.”

What do you like doing when you’re not working on research?

“I spend my spare time travelling to interesting places, reading, and listening to music – particularly opera. I also love spending time with my family and my three grandkids. Less rewarding in recent years has been my love for Tottenham Hotspur FC.”

What would you be doing if you weren’t a researcher?

“I can’t think of any other careers as rewarding as supporting patients. I’d be very happy just doing clinical work alone.”

Professor Simon Heller is chair of all three scientific advisory panels in the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, covering beta cells, novel insulins and root causes of type 1 diabetes. Along with the leading experts who sit on these panels, Simon will help to steer the direction of the Grand Challenge to make sure our funding is invested in the right places, with the biggest potential to change the lives of people with type 1 diabetes. He is also Professor of Clinical Diabetes at the University of Sheffield and a world-renowned scientist, whose research has led the way in transforming our understanding of hypoglycaemia.

Why did you want to get involved with the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge?

Simon: “It was a huge honour to be asked to assist in determining how this huge amount of funding could best be used to benefit type 1 diabetes research in the UK. It’s important to me to do my best to see our research move more quickly towards a cure for people with type 1.”

How do you think the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge will be a game-changer for type 1 diabetes research?

“I hope that the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge will allow the UK to play a major part in moving the research landscape closer to a cure. It will hopefully enable us to do something much more rapidly than we otherwise would be able to.”

What would a cure for type 1 diabetes look like to you?

“A cure would be removing the burden of day-to-day self-management of type 1 diabetes. In particular, it would allow people with the condition to live a life of spontaneity and doing activities which those of us without diabetes often take for granted.”

How did you get into the field of type 1 diabetes research?

“When I arrived at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham as a trainee registrar, I was intending to be a cardiologist. But a six-month placement in a diabetes team changed that. The legendary diabetes researcher Robert Tattersall (who discovered MODY and introduced the world to self-monitoring blood glucose levels) was my boss. He was a wonderful teacher who taught me to listen to people with diabetes and learn for myself how much it asked of people in terms of self-management. He also showed me that it wasn’t the healthcare professionals who made the biggest impact on managing type 1, but instead how much the person themselves could learn and implement about this very complex condition. Robert inspired me to become a researcher and showed me what an interesting and important specialty diabetes is.”

What has been your career highlight so far?

“It’s hard to narrow it down. One highlight is bringing the DAFNE training course – which helps people with type 1 lead a healthy life – from Germany to the UK’s NHS. Another key achievement was discovering that repeated hypos lead to impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia and increased risk of hypoglycaemia. I feel fortunate that I have been involved in research which has made a difference to the lives of people with type 1.”

Tell us something we don’t know about diabetes or the pancreas

“When I was preparing a talk on hypoglycaemia, I learnt that the first definition of 1 unit of insulin was the amount of insulin which could cause an epileptic seizure in a rabbit. This is because over a hundred years ago when insulin was discovered, there was no way of measuring insulin amounts. I read this fact in a wonderful book by Michael Bliss titled The Discovery of Insulin.”

What are you currently working on?

“My main research project at the moment is working with researchers from the USA, UK and Australia on a large research trial. The study is testing what the most effective way of restoring the warnings for hypoglycaemia in people with type 1 who have lost them.”

What skills do you need to have to be a great researcher?

“From working with great researchers, I’ve learnt that they need to be curious, creative and persistent. The best clinical researchers listen to people with lived experience to ensure they address important questions.”

What do you like doing when you’re not working on research?

“I spend my spare time travelling to interesting places, reading, and listening to music – particularly opera. I also love spending time with my family and my three grandkids. Less rewarding in recent years has been my love for Tottenham Hotspur FC.”

What would you be doing if you weren’t a researcher?

“I can’t think of any other careers as rewarding as supporting patients. I’d be very happy just doing clinical work alone.”