Breakthrough T1D-funded researcher wins Nobel Prize

Professor Baker’s Nobel Prize acknowledges his work in discovering a way to create new proteins that have never existed before. These proteins can potentially be used to treat conditions like type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Creating new proteins

Proteins are made up of various combinations of 20 different ‘building blocks’ called amino acids. In 2003, Professor Baker succeeded in using these building blocks to design a completely unique protein. Since then, his team of researchers have continued to create imaginative new proteins which can be used as medicines, vaccines, and tiny sensors.

Funding from Breakthrough T1D

In 2016, we recognised the potential application of this to T1D and awarded Professor Baker two grants, funding him to use a computer model to create new, glucose-responsive insulin (GRI). He designed a tiny glucose-responsive protein that can be added to existing long-acting forms of insulin to give them the ability to turn on at high glucose levels and off again once they are lowered.

What is glucose-responsive insulin?

GRIs are a type of novel (new) insulin, which can detect and respond to changing blood glucose levels, which could help relieve the burden of glucose monitoring. GRI is designed to be administered, lay waiting in the blood stream, and only be active when it is needed.

They are still at an early stage of development, but we’re funding researchers, like Professor Baker, to develop the next generation of insulins. Baker’s grant was one of many projects we are pursuing in GRI.

The Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge

Through the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, our partnership with the Steve Morgan Foundation and Diabetes UK, we are investing £15 million in research to develop novel insulins. This includes GRIs, ultra-fast acting insulins, and any other new type of insulin that makes managing type 1 diabetes easier.

We are funding six researchers around the world to drive forward their novel insulin designs. Four of these researchers are developing GRIs, another is making a rapid acting insulin, and another is combining the hormones insulin and glucagon in one molecule.

What are Nobel Prizes?

These prestigious awards celebrate outstanding contributions in Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economic Sciences. The Prizes go to the best and brightest people with the most innovative and revolutionary ideas.

That this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry recognises a researcher and concept that we have previously funded demonstrates that we are funding some of the very best scientists in the world. Professor Baker shares this Prize with two other scientists who used artificial intelligence to work out the structure of proteins.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to two other researchers who have discovered microRNA, which regulates which genes are switched on. Breakthrough T1D is currently funding research into microRNA and its potential uses in T1D.