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1st appeared
19
July 2000
Renowned Immunologist to Spur Diabetes Research
One of the world’s leading experts on why the body’s immune system rejects or tolerates transplanted tissue, Bluestone’s research on controlling antibody activity to foster tolerance has catalyzed recent progress in islet cell transplantation for treating Type 1 diabetes. His appointment is expected to further accelerate research on diabetes and other autoimmune diseases at UCSF and spur the application of knowledge gained from basic research to improve the success of transplantation surgery. At UCSF, Bluestone will hold the A.W. & Mary Margaret Clausen Distinguished Professorship in Metabolism and Endocrinology, a chair devoted to diabetes research. He will also be director of the Hormone Research Institute and the Metabolic Research Unit at UCSF. At the University of Chicago, where he has been the Daniel K Ludwig Professor in the Biological Sciences, Bluestone spearheaded the formation of an international network of more than 70 leading researchers in nine countries now generously funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to advance clinical research on immune tolerance. Bluestone is executive director of this Collaborative Network for Clinical Research on Immune Tolerance, which will be based at UCSF. The UCSF Medical Center’s diabetes program treats patients with Type I diabetes (formerly known as juvenile-onset diabetes) as well as Type II diabetes, which tends to develop among people who are over the age of 30, very overweight and often with a family history of the condition. Recognizing that Type II diabetes can be kept in check by paying careful attention to diet, exercise and other behaviors, the UCSF Diabetes Teaching Center runs a nationally recognized program to educate and help people with diabetes modify their behavior to control their blood sugar levels. Participants learn about the physiology of diabetes, the rationale behind treatments recommended, and how to safely use insulin and other medications. They are shown how to increase their awareness of the different foods and drinks they are consuming and how they interact with their blood sugar. The program involves nurse educators, nutritionists, counselors, pharmacists and physicians to help patients manage diabetes. Last year, the teaching center received about 5,000 patient visits. The program is regularly recognized by professional and consumer surveys as one of the best in the nation. Links: Diabetes Teaching Center Broadens its Breadth Source: Wallace Ravven, News Services |
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This
summer, UCSF welcomes Jeffrey A. Bluestone, PhD, a prominent immunologist
who studies the basic processes of cancer immunity, transplantation
and autoimmunity.