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.
Your donations help support people living with type 1 diabetes today and fund the best treatment and cure research, no matter where in the world it takes place.
The announcement is the biggest treatment breakthrough for type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin.
Join the type 1 diabetes community and come together, raise awareness and vital funds for T1D. Every step taken and pound raised directly supports us to fund our life-changing 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.
JDRF has now rebranded to Breakthrough T1D. Our name has changed, our mission has not.
Home > About Breakthrough T1D UK & our impact > Our research > Research projects > Developing a new type of dressing to improve diabetic wound healing
Having type 1 diabetes (T1D) can mean any wounds you get take longer to heal, may get infected more easily, and lead to pressure ulcers. Currently, there are limited treatment options for diabetic wounds associated with pressure ulcers. We’re funding Dr Mandeep Kaur Marwah at Aston University to develop a new type of dressing that uses a molecule called hydrogen sulphide. The dressing could help diabetic wounds heal more quickly.
Pressure ulcers are areas of damage to the skin and tissue underneath. They are caused when an area of skin is put under pressure. In people with T1D, these usually occur on the foot. In the UK, around 10% of people with T1D will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime. Learn more about T1D and foot problems.
Diabetic wounds associated with pressure ulcers are difficult to heal and become infected easily which can lead to serious complications. With limited treatment options, new treatments are needed that are safe and effective. The special dressing using hydrogen sulphide Mandeep is developing is a promising new treatment option which could improve diabetic wound healing.
Mandeep said:
“The Small Grant Award gives us the opportunity to develop a new type of wound dressing that can help people with type 1 diabetes heal their wounds faster and more effectively. Diabetic wounds, especially those that lead to pressure ulcers, are a significant concern because they can be very difficult to heal and often lead to serious infections. With the support from this grant, we’re working on a special treatment that uses a molecule called hydrogen sulphide, which is important for reducing inflammation and promoting the growth of new skin and blood vessels. By applying this treatment directly to wounds, we hope to speed up healing, reduce the need for healthcare interventions, and improve the quality of life for people living with type 1 diabetes.”
Hydrogen sulphide is a molecule which plays an important role in wound healing by reducing inflammation and promoting the growth of new skin and blood vessels. Mandeep’s previous research has shown that adding hydrogen sulphide to wounds has the potential to reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel formation.
In this project, Mandeep aims to develop a dressing with hydrogen sulphide that can be applied directly to diabetic wounds helping to reduce inflammation and increase skin regeneration. The treatment could speed up the healing process and help close wounds completely. As part of the project, Mandeep will test how safe and effective the dressing is using a 3D diabetic wound model.
Diabetic wounds associated with pressures ulcers are a worldwide concern. People with T1D tend to develop pressures ulcers at a younger age than people with type 2 diabetes and experience more severe complications. The new dressing Mandeep is developing could improve the treatment of diabetic wounds and lead to better quality of life. This grant could also help Mandeep conduct even more research into treatments for diabetic wound healing, further improving the lives of people with T1D.
We fund lots of research into managing, delaying and preventing complications associated with T1D. We are also funding Dr Ify Mordi at the University of Dundee to run the first clinical trial of a drug called sotagliflozin in people T1D and heart failure. Sotagliflozin is currently used to treat people with heart failure with type 2 diabetes and without diabetes. Ify’s research aims to generate evidence that would allow the drug to be given to people with T1D and heart failure.
Dr Matthew Anson is studying whether hybrid closed loop technology, also known as an artificial pancreas, affects the worsening of diabetic eye disease.
Dr Samet Sahin is developing a simple tool to allow healthcare professionals to quickly and easily check someone’s C-peptide levels, a measure of how much insulin they are releasing.
Dr Thomas George Hill is studying a type of pancreatic islet cell, called a delta cell, which he thinks could be targeted with a treatment to help prevent low blood glucose in type 1 diabetes.
Dr Richard Pulsford is developing a visual tool for people with type 1 diabetes that predicts the likelihood of their blood glucose going too low during exercise
