Immunomodulatory, vascularized cell delivery device for type 1 diabetes cell therapy
Official title: An immunomodulatory and vascularized cell delivery device for type 1 diabetes cell therapy
Funded at Cornell University · NIH-11421413 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new device aims to safely transplant insulin-producing cells under the skin by promoting blood vessel growth and immune tolerance to help people with type 1 diabetes reduce or avoid immunosuppression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $500,067 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK143077-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421413 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with brittle or hard-to-control type 1 diabetes who may benefit from cell-based insulin replacement approaches in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who cannot undergo implantation procedures or who have contraindications to device implantation may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops a subcutaneous, cell-retaining device that encourages blood vessels to grow into the implant and creates a local immune-tolerant environment. It builds on prior work with donor islets and stem-cell–derived insulin-producing cells to improve long-term function. The team will test a semi-permeable or open approach using engineered nurse cells that express immune-modulating factors to support allogeneic engraftment without systemic immunosuppression. The work involves translating these concepts toward a clinically viable, immunotolerant, vascularized cell delivery strategy for type 1 diabetes. The study is conducted at Cornell University under the leadership of Dr. Minseok Lee and seeks to address key barriers in cell replacement therapy for brittle diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience durable insulin production from transplanted cells with reduced need for immune drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work and early transplantation studies have shown promise with immunomodulatory strategies and vascularized engraftment, but long-term human translation remains in development.
Where this research is happening
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Minseok — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Lee, Minseok
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.