A $3.2 Million Breakthrough: How Scripps Scientists Are Trying to Stop Type 1 Diabetes Before It Starts

Scripps Professor Luc Teyton

If you live with Type 1 diabetes or know someone who does, you know how relentless it can be — constant glucose checks, insulin doses, and worrying about highs and lows. But some exciting new research out of Scripps Research in California could one day change how doctors understand (and maybe even prevent) the disease altogether.

The Big News

A Scripps professor named Luc Teyton just won a $3.2 million federal grant to dig into one of the biggest mysteries in Type 1 diabetes: Why does the body’s immune system suddenly decide to attack the pancreas — the organ that makes insulin?

It’s a huge question. For years, scientists have known the immune system turns on insulin-producing cells, but they haven’t totally understood what sparks that attack in the first place.

Teyton and his team think they’ve found an overlooked piece of the puzzle — and it comes down to a tiny group of cells that don’t usually get much attention.

Meet the Unsung Heroes of the Pancreas

Inside the pancreas, there are these little clusters called islets where insulin is made. Around those islets are blood vessels — and wrapped around those vessels are special cells called vascular-associated fibroblastic cells, or VAFs for short.

You can think of VAFs like security guards for the pancreas. They normally help keep the peace by calming down the immune system and preventing it from attacking healthy cells.

But when there’s too much inflammation — say, from infection, stress, or even diet — those VAFs can get overwhelmed. Instead of sending out “everything’s fine” signals, they start waving red flags. And that may be what tricks the immune system into attacking insulin-producing cells.

Why It’s Such a Big Deal

If this theory is right, it could completely change how doctors think about Type 1 diabetes.For one, it suggests that the damage may actually start outside the insulin-making cells — in the area around them where the VAFs live.

Even better, it means there might be a way to stop the disease before it starts. If scientists can figure out how to keep those “security guard” cells calm and balanced, they could possibly prevent the immune system from launching its attack in the first place.

That’s what Teyton’s new $3.2 million grant is funding — five years of research to map out exactly how these cells behave and what causes them to flip from friendly to fiery.

What It Means for People With Diabetes

This isn’t a cure yet — but it’s the kind of research that makes cures possible down the road. The more scientists understand what goes wrong early on, the better they can design treatments that stop the problem at its source.

Someday, this might lead to medicines that protect the pancreas instead of just replacing the insulin it can no longer make.

In the meantime, discoveries like this are powerful reminders that the world’s brightest minds are still working every day to make Type 1 diabetes easier to live with — and hopefully, someday, preventable.

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Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before making any changes to your medications, diet, or treatment plan.