PennMed’s Matthew Toal spoke with Juan Alvarez about the future of therapies for diabetes.

Electronic Mesh Spurs Islet Cell Maturation, Could Aid Diabetes Care:

A new electronic implant system can help lab‑grown pancreatic cells mature and function properly, potentially providing a basis for novel, cell-based therapies for diabetes. The approach, led in part by Juan Alvarez, PhD, an assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, incorporates an ultrathin mesh of conductive wires into growing pancreatic tissue. The study was published this month in Science.

“The words ‘bionic’, ‘cybernetic’, ‘cyborg’, all of those apply to the device we’ve created,” said Juan Alvarez, PhD, an assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology. While these terms may sound futuristic, he noted this approach is already in use in the form of deep brain stimulation, which treats neurological conditions. “What we’re doing is like deep stimulation for the pancreas. Just like pacemakers help the heart keep rhythm, controlled electrical pulses can help pancreatic cells develop and function the way they’re supposed to,” he said.

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