Immunoregulation of type 1 diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a disease that results from the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The current treatment for T1D does not cure the disease or prevent the possibility of other serious complications. The mechanism that leads to the loss of immune tolerance still remains unclear; scientists believe that both genetic and environmental triggers play a role, making it challenging to develop treatments that address both. Investigators at the Columbia University Center for Translational Immunology (CCTI) conduct many research studies aimed to determine factors involved in T1D. The purpose of our study is to investigate genetic variants limited to immune dysregulation in T1D through next generation sequencing of genetic material from tissues of T1D donors. Elucidating the genetic factors involved in T1D will contribute to our knowledge of this disease and autoimmunity.