A prize from the Swiss Diabetes Foundation

Gloria Ursino, a researcher in the laboratory of Pr. Roberto Coppari has received support from the Swiss Diabetes Foundation for her project “New insulin independent mechanisms for better metabolic control in diabetes: from bench to bedside”.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that afflicts millions of people worldwide, and whose incidence is increasing at an alarming rate. For a large number of diabetic patients, insulin administration is the main line of therapy. However, this therapy is sub-optimal as it does not restore metabolic equilibrium and likely underlies serious complications. The team of Pr. Roberto Coppari has demonstrated protective and life-prolonging action of a hormone, called S100A9, which can significantly improve metabolism, while avoiding the more harmful side effects of insulin.

The research prize will enable Gloria Ursino in collaboration with other researchers from the laboratory to develop an S100A9-based combinatorial treatment that can reduce insulin needs and achieve better metabolic control in diabetic patients. This approach could apply to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients who are insulin-dependent.

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