1/2
of the diabetic population is unaware of having the disease
3x
Diabetic patients are more prone to cardiovascular diseases compared to healthy subjects
46%
increase of the diabetic population by 2045 (projection of International Diabetes Federation)
Diabetes worldwide
“Diabetes: when insulin is missing or insufficient leading to higher glucose levels in the blood”
6.7M
deaths in 2021 due to Diabetes
Alarmingly, type 1 diabetes increases by 3% annually
DIABETES
Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by increased level of circulating glucose and lipids. The underlying cause of diabetes is varied. For example, in type 1 diabetes the loss of pancreatic beta-cell producing insulin (a key hormone regulating glucose and lipid metabolism) leads to insulin deficiency; in this context, the condition is caused by an autoimmune-mediated destruction of the beta-cells.
These cells can also be damaged when life-style habits are detrimental. For example, a life-style characterized by hypercaloric feeding behavior and minimal physical activity could lead to obesity which is a great risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. In this context the action of insulin is reduced hence requiring the beta-cells to produce more hormone to cope with the insulin resistance. In the long term, also people affected by type 2 diabetes can develop insulin deficiency owing to the loss of beta-cells.
Current treatments are suboptimal. Indeed, while multiple daily insulin injections is the sole therapeutic option for people with insulin deficiency a list of drugs able to potentiate insulin action and/or secretion is available for subjects with insulin resistance. Yet, the life expectancy of diabetic people is reduced by several years as compared to healthy individuals. Also, their quality of life is greatly dampened by the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy and many others morbidities. Furthermore, diabetics in need of daily insulin injections are at higher risk for developing life-threatening severe hypoglycemia (i.e., low level of glucose in the blood).
Because diabetes affects around 500 million people and its therapy is suboptimal, research aimed at developing safer and more efficacious medicines is absolutely needed. This is the reason why DiaGen, a non-profit association made of diabetes experts, empowers you to chose the project(s) that you deem more likely to achieve this goal. You are empowered to make a difference and improve the quality and quantity of life of people with diabetes!
WHY DIABETES ?
A colleague at work, one of my best friends, a 5-year-old girl my family used to meet at the beach during vacation in Italy… they all have something in common: Diabetes.
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During vacation, every year at the same beach location, I would meet this little girl type I diabetic, carrying an insulin pump on her waist. Her mom would always come to me and my husband, we both scientists in the field of Diabetes, searching for new outcomes in our research area that could bring hope of cure or improve her daughter’s quality of life.
It was always an emotionally moving situation and there I would see how high-quality research and translational projects could make a difference in the life of this kid and her mother.
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Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon scenario and nowadays diabetes surrounds us. Situations such as the one described above inspire us to move forward Diagen and bring hope to these patients.
Away from incremental research, Diagen supports projects that can make the life of diabetic patients different, better! Our goal is to have diabetic kids running around on the beach without an insulin pump.
Can you help us make it happen?
