Islets of hope

The idea of using islet cell transplantation to treat diabetes has been simmering on the back burner for the last 15 years, with progress limited by two key obstacles: a shortage of donor cells, and a high chance of an immune attack on the transplant. But a series of incremental advances, a major leap forward, and emerging technologies from orthogonal disciplines have injected new energy into the field, which may be poised to provide the first long-term treatment or even cure for Type I diabetes.

For almost 100 years, the standard of care for the disease has been glucose monitoring and management with insulin injection, but for almost as long, researchers have been looking for an easier, more accurate way to control glucose levels...