pancreas Archives

Jordan Wright, MD, PhD, left, and Adel Eskaros, MBBS, PhD, are lead authors of the report on pancreatic exocrine-endocrine “crosstalk.” (photo by Susan Urmy)

Pancreas “crosstalk” may influence course of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

Nov. 1, 2023—In the largest study of its kind, researchers at Vanderbilt have identified unexpected alterations in the exocrine tissues of the pancreas that occur in the two major forms of diabetes, and with aging and obesity.

Maureen Gannon, PhD, center, with Emilyn Alejandro, PhD, associate professor of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of Minnesota, left, and Maria Golson, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, a former postdoctoral fellow of Gannon’s.

Gannon receives career achievement award for islet biology research

Jul. 10, 2023—Vanderbilt's Maureen Gannon, PhD, received the Paul Lacy Medal Award, the highest honor given by the Midwest Islet Club in recognition of meritorious career achievement in the field of islet biology.

When half of their six children were diagnosed with what was then believed to be Type 1 diabetes, David and Ellen Pursell decided their family would participate in research related to the health condition. This family photo from several years ago includes, seated, from left, Peggy, Ramsey and Chrissy. Standing, from left, are Vaughan, Ellen, Martin, David and Parker.

Family’s participation key to advancing diabetes research

Mar. 9, 2023—A study of one family from Alabama has led Vanderbilt researchers to discover that insulin deficiency, independent of the autoimmunity associated with Type 1 diabetes, is the principal factor leading to a markedly smaller pancreas.

Addition to pancreatic image bank expected to help advance diabetes research worldwide

Oct. 14, 2022—An image bank of samples of the pancreas from children who developed diabetes shortly before death has gone live at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, with the aim to advance global medical research in the diabetes field.

Nerve cells and cancer progression

Sep. 22, 2022—Immature nerves and neural precursor cells increase in density as a type of premalignant tumor in the pancreas progresses to invasive disease, suggesting that blocking these cells may arrest malignant progression.

Immune cells drive beta cell loss in Type 2 diabetes

Sep. 8, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers have discovered details of pancreatic beta cell loss — and potential therapeutic targets — during conditions of overnutrition, as occurs in obesity.

Team members involved in the study include, from left, Melissa Hilmes, MD, Daniel Moore, MD, PhD, Alvin Powers, MD, Jon Williams, PhD, and Jack Virostko, PhD. (photo by Jessica Kimber)

Study proves standardized protocol can support reliable MRI use for multisite pancreatic research

Aug. 27, 2021—Researchers with the Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center (DRTC) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center led a multisite study which has demonstrated that, when controlled and standardized, quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pancreas is highly reproducible when using different MRI hardware and software at different geographic locations.

Pancreatlas provides access to complex images of the human pancreas

Dec. 22, 2020—Images of cells and tissues are a critical part of biomedical research as they show which molecules or proteins are present and where these molecules are located in the tissue. Using increasingly sophisticated microscopes and imaging approaches, scientists can now look at more than 40 different molecules at once, an approach known as multi-plex imaging, where in the past they could only look at three or four molecules at a time.

Marcela Brissova, PhD, and MD/PhD student John “Jack” Walker are part of the research team that developed a pseudoislet system for integrated studies of human islet function.

Pseudoislet system expected to advance pancreas and diabetes research

Jul. 30, 2020—The multicellular, 3-D structure of human pancreatic islets — the areas of the pancreas containing hormone-producing or endocrine cells — has presented challenges to researchers as they study and manipulate these cells’ function, but Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have now developed a pseudoislet system that allows for much easier study of islet function.