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DZD Experts at the 14th International IDS Congress

At the 14th International Congress of the Immunology of Diabetes Society (IDS) in Munich from April 12 to 16, 2015, scientists from around the world presented their current research results on type 1 diabetes and discussed their latest findings. The German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) was also well represented. Congress President Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, director of the Institute for Diabetes Research at Helmholtz Zentrum München and head of the Diabetes research group at TU München as well as the research area Type 1 Diabetes in the DZD, welcomed around 400 participants at the opening event.

A number of DZD scientists gave lectures and participated in panel discussions:
• Prof. Martin Hrabě de Angelis, speaker and member of the DZD board as well as director of the Institute of Experimental Genetics at Helmholtz Zentrum München: Parentally acquired metabolic dysfunction – epigenetic effects
• Prof. Michael Roden, DZD board member and scientific director of the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf: Mechanisms of insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes
• Prof. Michele Solimena, DZD speaker and director of the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden: Chair of the DZD session on the topic of metabolism
• Prof. Ezio Bonifacio, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden: Round table discussion on knowledge and gaps
• Prof. Karsten Kretschmer, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden: Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in autoimmune diabetes
• Dr. Peter Achenbach, Helmholtz Zentrum München: chair of the autoantibody workshop
• Dr. Carolin Daniel, Helmholtz Zentrum München: Targeting insulin-specific regulatory T (Treg) cells in human type 1 diabetes
• Dr. Florian Haupt, Helmholtz Zentrum München: Metabolic signatures in pre-type 1 diabetes and implications for disease progression
• Dr. Rainer Fürst, Helmholtz Zentrum München: DNA methylation in young children reflects the maternal diabetic situation and correlates to later onset of autoimmune diabetes
• Dr. Adriana Migliorini, Helmholtz Zentrum München: β-cell heterogeneity: Implications for regeneration and autoimmunity
• Dr. Stephan Speier, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden: Distinct roles of beta cell mass and function during type 1 diabetes onset and remission
• Dr. Yannick Fuchs, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden: Single cell TCR sequencing reveals clonally expanded IGRP specific CD8+ T cells and identifies IGRP directed TCR alpha chains shared between individuals with long standing type 1 diabetes
• Dr. Antje Petzold, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden: Coxsackievirus increases caspase-like activity in infected insulinoma cells independently from activation of endogenous caspase 3 and 7 and apoptosis

At the DZD booth, congress participants could obtain information about the research program of the DZD on type 1 diabetes and exchange ideas about offers for young scientists. A highlight of the framework program was the welcome reception with the performance of the “Sugar Daddies” – a band founded by DZD scientists. The music created a lively atmosphere for establishing further contacts.