Diabetes

Diabetes Advanced Technologies

NIDDK-funded researchers are developing a new tool, called an islet chip, to study islets—groups of cells in the pancreas. Islets contain several types of cells, including beta cells that make insulin. In people with type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells. Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) have developed a non-invasive device that can measure blood glucose levels without the standard finger prick. Researchers have also developed a flexible, wearable patch that can measure blood pressure and detect cardiovascular problems. This device could eventually help people living with diabetes, who are more likely to have high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems than people without diabetes.