Valérie Schwitzgebel is heading a project on monogenic diabetes financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation. For this purpose, the lab uses cutting edge techniques in human genetics to investigate the complex mechanisms that underlie the pathophysiology of diabetes with the goal to identify genes or regulatory regions involved in the development or function of the beta cell. The lab also put into place a number of approaches to analyze the function of the genes identified by the screens.

In addition, Valérie Schwitzgebel has initiated a collaborative project with colleagues in Lithuania, funded by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. Akin to the work described above, genetic screens for all diabetic children without signs of autoimmunity (i.e. lack of antibodies typically associated with Type 1) or with neonatal diabetes will be established. The project represents a step towards a Swiss cohort of monogenic diabetes with an international counterpart. 

>>> Laboratory website