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Introduction to Lilly Award session
Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 74S (2006) S33 www.elsevier.com/locate/diabres
Introduction to Lilly Award session
In September 2005, the fifth regional conference of Diabetes International Research & Education Cooperative Team (DIRECT) was held in Dubrovnik (Croatia). More than 100 physicians from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa had a great opportunity to get together and interactively discuss the topics of prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications. It has become a good tradition to invite young and motivated specialists in scientific research to participate in the Eli Lilly Award session of the DIRECT Meetings. I would like to cite Prof. Itamar Raz, Chairman of DIRECT: ‘‘This year we had many nominations of exceptional investigators and the choice was difficult. We selected three outstanding research studies to receive the honour. The award process this year reflects the tremendous strides that have been made in the DIRECT countries in terms of basic research and clinical studies. This new young generation of scientists is a source of pride for DIRECT and ensures that our countries will undoubtedly become world leaders in diabetes research’’. It was a great pleasure and honour for me to chair the Lilly Award session and to discuss the topics with young specialists. Dr. Alexandra Araszkiewicz (Poland) presented data on the possible role of inflammation in the development of late diabetic complications. She followed 100 newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic patients for 6 years and each year assessed the inflammatory markers and cytokines such as hsCRP, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor and tumor necrosis factor-a. A close correlation was found between the new inflammatory markers, traditional risk factors (hyperglycemia, dislipidemia and hypertension) and the development of microangiopathy in type 1 diabetes. The results confirm the interrelationship between the 0168-8227/$ – see front matter # 2006 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2006.06.011
inflammatory markers and metabolic factors in the initiation of diabetic complications. Dr. Carolyn Padoa (South Africa) presented a new approach for detecting autoantibodies (IAA) to insulin using PCR technology. She suggested using the recombinant Fab to compete for insulin binding by IAAs present in sera from type 1 diabetic patients. This method may be useful for reducing the IAA binding to insulin and for blocking autoimmune responses against beta cell autoantigens in type 1 diabetic patients. Dr. Olga Vikulova (Russia) tried to find genetic predisposition to the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in type 1 diabetes using nonoverlapping inclusion criteria. There were two groups of patients: 66 patients with long standing diabetes (>20 years) without DN and 63 patients with overt DN and <15 years of diabetes duration. Such an approach for group selection allowed the reduction of the masking effect of non-genetic (metabolic and haemodynamic) factors. The author concluded that the initiation of DN seems to be dependent upon genetic factors such as ACE and NOS3 polymorphism, but the progression of DN to chronic renal failure depends more upon the blood pressure control and the use of ACE inhibitors. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once more the very high level of the young scientists presentation, their great interest and motivation in scientific work that allows us to think that not far away the day will arrive when it will be possible to celebrate the victory over diabetes. I would like to thank the Lilly Company, which is open to innovations in the field of diabetes research. Marina Shestakova Endocrinology Research Center of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia Available online 8 September 2006
Introduction to Lilly Award session
In September 2005, the fifth regional conference of Diabetes International Research & Education Cooperative Team (DIRECT) was held in Dubrovnik (Croatia). More than 100 physicians from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa had a great opportunity to get together and interactively discuss the topics of prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications. It has become a good tradition to invite young and motivated specialists in scientific research to participate in the Eli Lilly Award session of the DIRECT Meetings. I would like to cite Prof. Itamar Raz, Chairman of DIRECT: ‘‘This year we had many nominations of exceptional investigators and the choice was difficult. We selected three outstanding research studies to receive the honour. The award process this year reflects the tremendous strides that have been made in the DIRECT countries in terms of basic research and clinical studies. This new young generation of scientists is a source of pride for DIRECT and ensures that our countries will undoubtedly become world leaders in diabetes research’’. It was a great pleasure and honour for me to chair the Lilly Award session and to discuss the topics with young specialists. Dr. Alexandra Araszkiewicz (Poland) presented data on the possible role of inflammation in the development of late diabetic complications. She followed 100 newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic patients for 6 years and each year assessed the inflammatory markers and cytokines such as hsCRP, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor and tumor necrosis factor-a. A close correlation was found between the new inflammatory markers, traditional risk factors (hyperglycemia, dislipidemia and hypertension) and the development of microangiopathy in type 1 diabetes. The results confirm the interrelationship between the 0168-8227/$ – see front matter # 2006 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2006.06.011
inflammatory markers and metabolic factors in the initiation of diabetic complications. Dr. Carolyn Padoa (South Africa) presented a new approach for detecting autoantibodies (IAA) to insulin using PCR technology. She suggested using the recombinant Fab to compete for insulin binding by IAAs present in sera from type 1 diabetic patients. This method may be useful for reducing the IAA binding to insulin and for blocking autoimmune responses against beta cell autoantigens in type 1 diabetic patients. Dr. Olga Vikulova (Russia) tried to find genetic predisposition to the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in type 1 diabetes using nonoverlapping inclusion criteria. There were two groups of patients: 66 patients with long standing diabetes (>20 years) without DN and 63 patients with overt DN and <15 years of diabetes duration. Such an approach for group selection allowed the reduction of the masking effect of non-genetic (metabolic and haemodynamic) factors. The author concluded that the initiation of DN seems to be dependent upon genetic factors such as ACE and NOS3 polymorphism, but the progression of DN to chronic renal failure depends more upon the blood pressure control and the use of ACE inhibitors. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once more the very high level of the young scientists presentation, their great interest and motivation in scientific work that allows us to think that not far away the day will arrive when it will be possible to celebrate the victory over diabetes. I would like to thank the Lilly Company, which is open to innovations in the field of diabetes research. Marina Shestakova Endocrinology Research Center of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia Available online 8 September 2006