Research summary
Diabetes is a growing epidemic, with more than 5.7 million Canadians living with the condition. It can significantly reduce life expectancy by leading to other serious conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, amputations and kidney disease. Currently, there is no cure, and treatments largely aim to manage symptoms rather than addressing the disease’s underlying causes. Dr. Kacey Prentice, Canada Research Chair in Diabetes Pathogenesis, is unravelling the mechanisms that lead to diabetes.
To uncover disease mechanisms and identify drug targets, Prentice and her research team are working to understand the complex interplay between insulin-producing beta cells and insulin-responsive tissues, such as the liver and fat, during the prediabetic period. They are focusing on the Fabkin hormone complex, a novel regulator of insulin-producing beta cells. Their research could improve the lives of people with diabetes by revealing more about what causes the disease and exploring Fabkin’s potential role in therapy.