Pancreas News and Research

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The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as an exocrine gland, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that pass to the small intestine. These enzymes help in the further breakdown of the carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the chyme.

New way to promote insulin production in pre-diabetes phase discovered

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore scientists have discovered that a type of immune cell known as 'pancreatic islet macrophages' is capable of promoting insulin production during the pre-diabetes phase.

15 Nov 2019

Dopamine D2 receptor modulates Wnt expression, controls cell proliferation

The dopamine D2 receptor has a previously unobserved role in modulating Wnt expression and control of cell proliferation, according to a new study from the George Washington University and the University of Pittsburgh.

14 Nov 2019

Tips to help parents share family health history with children

Parents spend hours planning to talk with their children about the "birds and bees." But moms and dads often ignore an equally important conversation - discussing their family's overall health history.

13 Nov 2019

Protein that drives pancreatic cancer growth could be new treatment target

A protein that drives growth of pancreatic cancer, and which could be a target for new treatments, has been identified by researchers at the Crick.

12 Nov 2019

Automated meal detection system brings 'artificial pancreas' one step closer to reality

A.I. researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have developed a system that can detect when a person is eating and calculate how many carbohydrates they are consuming with unprecedented accuracy and speed.

12 Nov 2019

Combination therapy shows promise for transplanting HCV-infected organs

Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that combination therapy with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and ezetimibe.

8 Nov 2019

Researchers aim to make technologies more accessible for users with diabetes

The rise of continuous blood glucose monitor and insulin pump technologies has lessened the intricate task of monitoring and regulating blood glucose levels for people with diabetes, but improvements to these devices could still significantly improve lives.

6 Nov 2019

Researchers reveal mechanisms that lead to onset of Type 1 diabetes

Researchers Lorenzo Pasquali and Mireia Ramos-Rodríguez have published recently in Nature Genetics the results of a study on the mechanisms that cause an inflammatory response to trigger pancreatic beta-cell death, leading to the onset of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

6 Nov 2019

Researchers propose genetic testing and continued management of identical twin kidney transplants

Using U.S. transplant registry data, clinical researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that kidney transplants between identical twins have high success rates, but also high rates of immunosuppressant use.

5 Nov 2019

Teens and adults experience the same rate of biliary side effects after weight-loss surgery

Adolescents and teens experience biliary side effects after weight-loss surgery at about the same rate as adults. However, in younger patients, the symptoms are more likely to manifest as pancreatic inflammation, or acute pancreatitis, according to a new study published in the November issue of the journal Obesity.

5 Nov 2019

Light sensitive insulin secreting switches to help diabetics in blood sugar control

Researchers from Tufts University devised a novel experiment wherein they engineered beta cells of the pancreas and transplanted these cells onto the pancreas of diabetic mice. This resulted in two to three times insulin production by the diabetic mice that helped them control their blood sugar. These transplanted cells could be controlled using light exposure explained scientists, making this a path breaking study for diabetics.

4 Nov 2019

Researchers decipher gene function that protects against type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes affects almost 400 million people across the world. It is caused by a combination of lifestyle as well as genetic factors which together result in high blood sugar levels.

4 Nov 2019

Common things you need to know about pancreatitis

The pancreas is an important part of the digestive system that converts the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells. Responsible for two main functions, the pancreas helps digestion and regulates blood sugar. However, the pancreas can become inflamed, which causes pancreatitis to occur.

31 Oct 2019

Avocados may hold the key to managing obesity and preventing diabetes

Your guacamole may hold the key to managing obesity and helping delay or prevent diabetes, according to a new study by a University of Guelph research team.

30 Oct 2019

Artificial pancreas may improve glucose control in type 1 diabetics

A new study describes how patients could benefit from the use of newly available automatic closed-loop systems to administer insulin, popularly called “the artificial pancreas”.

30 Oct 2019

Atlantic Health System Cancer Care enrolling patients in five pancreatic cancer studies

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month. This year alone, more than 56,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic tumors are particularly aggressive and hard to treat "due to a mutational profile that makes it resistant to therapies that work better for other tumor types," explains Angela Alistar, MD, medical director of GI Oncology at Morristown Medical Center.

30 Oct 2019

Researchers discover cause of new inherited form of pancreatitis

What began as a 51-year-old mystery comes down to a single gene, as researchers from the University of Chicago and University of California, San Francisco discovered the cause of a new inherited form of pancreatitis.

29 Oct 2019

How does cancer look on day 1? Researchers collaborate to find out

Researchers from Britain and United States are working in collaboration to detect the earliest possible sign of cancer within the body and trace the alterations that lead to full blown cancer. This may help doctors detect cancer even before it is fully formed, the researchers hope.

24 Oct 2019

Binghamton biomedical professor receives $1.2 million in grants toward diabetes cure

A biomedical engineering professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York is trying to find a cure for diabetes from several different angles, and three federal grants totaling nearly $1.2 million will aid her and her research team in that quest.

21 Oct 2019

Vaping helps 50,000 cigarette smokers quit in England each year

Thousands of cigarette smokers have been able to quit in the UK by switching to e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, claims a new study published in the journal Addiction.

17 Oct 2019