“The massive annual healthcare costs illustrate the importance of medical research in the field of diabetes mellitus,” said Professor von Schorlemer with respect to the commitment of the Free State of Saxony. “It is essential that through basic research, new diabetes prevention and treatment options can be developed as quickly as possible.”
Professor Michele Solimena, spokesperson of the PLID, emphasized Dresden’s excellent standing in basic and translational research regarding the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas and in the field of islet-cell transplantation. In addition to its outstanding research and clinical application network, Dresden has established the first German professorship for diabetes prevention. Also in Dresden, the first successes were achieved in the vaccination against type 1 diabetes in high-risk children. With the vaccination, autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can be delayed or even prevented.