Vrije Universiteit Brussel

co-Principal Investigator

A decreased beta cell mass or the incapability of the beta cell mass to compensate for increased insulin needs, results in an absolute (type I) or relative (type II) deficiency of insulin defining type I and type II diabetes, respectively. Our research group aims to compensate the reduced beta cell mass in diabetes by transplantation or in situ differentiation and expansion of beta- and pre-beta cells.

We therefore investigate mechanisms to generate new, fully functional beta cells by:

•	Differentiation of endogenous progenitor/stem cells and regeneration of the beta cell mass
•	Protection and proliferation of existing beta cells
•	Transdifferentiation of pancreatic non-beta cells to beta cells

Our research is performed within the collaborative framework of the JDRF Center for Beta Cell Therapy in Diabetes, the Beta Cell Biology Consortium and IMIDIA.