Our resource hub is home to a wealth of articles, stories and videos about managing and living with type 1 diabetes.
Place your order for our free information packs that support adults and children who have been recently diagnosed.
Our researchers are working on different ways to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes - from growing insulin-producing beta cells in labs to hacking the immune system.
Learn about the technologies that can deliver insulin automatically when needed. And discover the next generation of insulins that are currently being developed.
You could win a cash prize of up to £25,000 when you play the Breakthrough T1D lottery. As well as the chance to win great prizes, you’ll also help fund our research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Our volunteers generously give us their time, skills and experience to tell people about our work, and to help us raise vital funds for research into better treatments and ultimately a cure for T1D.
Our ambitious new roadmap is aimed at driving significant advancements in type 1 diabetes research, treatment, and care.
Your donation helps support people living with type 1 diabetes and funds the best treatment and cure research.
We provide a wealth of information and free resources to help you support and empower your patients or students.
Take our free course for schools to learn more about supporting pupils with type 1 diabetes in educational settings.
Home > News & events > News > How could ‘cyborg tissue’ help people with type 1 diabetes?
During this research, published in Science, stretchable electronic devices were implanted in between lab-grown, insulin-producing cells before they grouped into islets. By doing this, the research team were able to track in real-time how the cells develop and communicate. They measured the cells over time, and the long-term data showed how they respond to glucose and how they act as one as they mature.
Two different cell types were tracked and measured – alpha cells and beta cells. Alpha cells are responsible for secreting glucagon. Glucagon is a hormone which stimulates the release of glucose from the liver when blood glucose levels drop. Beta cells produce insulin, which is the hormone responsible for allowing cells to use glucose for energy. In people without T1D, they work together in synergy, to keep the levels of glucose in the blood at a safe level.
Finally, the team implanted stimulators to manipulate the electrical signals. They did this to see if it would be feasible to fine-tune the performance of the islets, which could be used in future for treatment of T1D.
It was found that alpha and beta cells both have distinct electrical signals which could be measured using the electronic devices which were implanted. As they mature, these signals become stronger and more distinct. They found that the cell’s electrical thresholds changed based on the different levels of glucose (the signals increased in the presence of more glucose). They also found that as the cells matured, they began to act as a unit. They would co-ordinate their response, rather than acting as individual cells.
In stimulating the pancreas in this way, the researchers said there could be ways to manually keep the pancreas functioning in T1D. Controlled electrical pulses could help insulin producing cells develop and perform in the way they’re supposed to.
The phrase ‘cyborg tissue’ feels like science fiction. In fact, it just refers to the combination of living, human tissue with small pieces of electronic mesh. This mesh can then be used to monitor, create or control the tissue. Think of it like a pacemaker, which uses electrical pulses to regulate the heart in people with an irregular heartbeat (arrythmia). However, a main difference is the scale. A pacemaker is a larger device, around the size of a box of matches, which is implanted into the chest. The electronic mesh in the cyborg tissue is so small it is thinner than a piece of human hair.
Breakthrough T1D partially funded the lead researcher, Juan Alvarez, in this study. Rachel Connor, our Director of Research Partnerships, said,
“Exciting research like this gives us a new way to conceptualise treatment of T1D – and a new way to learn about the intricate biological processes important to T1D. Progress in such innovative research has the potential to shift our understanding and ultimately help transform the lives of millions globally. This technology may sound like something out of science fiction, but the potential impact for people with T1D is very real.”
Dealing with type 1 every day can have an emotional impact, whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been living with type 1 for some time.
Find out about our work to make T1D treatments available to everyone who needs or wants them.
Find out about our research to find cures for T1D and make everyday life better for those who face it.
Highlights from an extraordinary year in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, treatment, advocacy and policy.
We’re aware of growing concern around insulin supply in the UK, and we want to reassure our community that this is not a general insulin shortage. There is no need to change the type of insulin you use.
If you use the Dexcom G6 app on your Android smartphone, the newest Android 16 operating system may disrupt how the app functions.
We're calling for urgent reform as new report reveals older people with T1D are systematically failed by health and social care services.
Immunotherapy, beta cell replacement, smart insulins – we’re driving research in the most promising areas to find cures and better treatments for type 1 diabetes.
