nPOD KQ group: Role of the exocrine pancreas in T1D development
Type 1 diabetes occurs following the loss of sufficient functional beta-cell mass with resultant lifelong requirement for exogenous insulin to maintain blood glucose levels. While understanding the mechanisms behind beta-cell loss is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of T1D, the potential direct or indirect roles of the exocrine pancreas remain understudied. This working group will focus on understanding mechanisms by which the exocrine pancreas could impact beta-cell health using robust T1D models that will interrogate morphological, cellular, and molecular alterations. Anyone with an interest in this area is welcomed and encouraged to participate.
Leaders
Dr. Teresa Mastracci
Indiana University Indianapolis, USA
Dr. Teresa Mastracci is an associate professor in the Department of Biology at Indiana University Indianapolis. In 2017 she was named one of the top Ten Under 40 up & coming stars in Biopharma Research and Business by Genetic Engineering News and was recognized as one of the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Forty Under 40. She combines her interests in developmental biology and human disease by studying how cellular crosstalk between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas can influence organ development and function. In addition to the discovery of a new monogenic disease, recent publications from her lab have uncovered a regulatory role for mRNA translation in exocrine pancreas growth, beta cell maturation, and neuronal function.