Type 1 diabetes mellitus affects over one million people in the United States. Approximately 30,000 new cases a year are diagnosed. Currently the main treatment available is injectable insulin with careful measuring of glucose levels and alterations in diet. Whole organ pancreas transplantation offers hope to a limited number of patients. However, the procedure requires a complicated surgical procedure and is most often performed with a simultaneous kidney transplant in individuals with diabetic renal failure.

Islet cell transplantation was developed in an attempt to decrease the complications associated with whole organ pancreas transplants. Through a series of complex filtration steps the islet cells (which produce insulin) are isolated from a pancreas obtained from a brain-dead donor. The purified islet cells are then injected into the liver. The islet cells then begin to produce insulin and control the body’s fluctuating glucose levels. Patients who undergo islet cell transplantation must take a variety of immunosuppressive medications for the rest of their life.

The process of islet cell isolation has been developed at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. We are proud to announce a collaboration with the University of Alberta whereby islet cell isolation will be performed for patients at the University of California, Irvine.

In order to be a candidate for islet cell transplantation an individual must:

• Be over the age of 18
• Have had insulin dependent diabetes for over 5 years
• Have suffered from attacks of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) despite careful control of diet and medications
• Have early signs of diabetic-associated kidney and/or eye disease

In order to be a candidate for islet cell transplantation an individual must not:

• Have any other major illnesses
• Have an addiction to alcohol or drugs
• Have a history of cancer
• Have an active infection (HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis)

Research

The UCI Transplantation laboratory is also actively involved in research to grow in tissue culture islet cells from stem cells. Working with multiple collaborators at the Medical Center as well as the main campus, UCI is positioning itself to receive funding from the recently passed Proposition 71 Stem Cell Research Initiative.

Key Personnel:

David K. Imagawa, MD, PhD, FACS
Professor of Clinical Surgery

The University of California, Irvine Division of Hepatobiliary, Pancreas and Transplant Surgery is under the direction of Dr. Imagawa. He received his Bachelor of Science at Stanford University and his Medical degree and Doctor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins in Medical School. He completed a surgical residency and transplant fellowship at UCLA. He established the Division of Transplantation at UCI and performed the first islet cell transplants in Orange County in 1997

Clarence E. Foster, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery

Dr. Foster is the Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program at UCI. He received his Bachelor of Science at USC and his Medical Degree at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He completed his surgical residency and transplant fellowship at the University of Maryland. He has been the Director of Clinical Research for the Division of Transplantation at the University of Maryland since 2000.

Ping H. Wang, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine

Dr. Wang is the Director of the Joslin Diabetes Center at UCI and the Medical Director of the Pancreas and Islet Cell Transplant Program. He received his Medical degree at Kaoshing University and completed his medical residency at Tufts University. He subsequently received his fellowship training in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at Harvard University.

Andrew E. Walton, BA
Associate Director, UCI Islet Cell Program.

Mr. Walton has been recently hired after spending nearly six years at the City of Hope. He managed the regulatory and compliance programs for the Stem Cell Laboratory. In his current position he will oversee the regulatory issues involved with isolation, transportation and transplantation of human islet cells.