Jan 23, 2012

High Tech High Heels

For as long as I can remember I have loved fashion for the way it changes how we see ourselves. I'll never forget the thrill I had when I discovered that with a long towel over my back while running around the yard I could be a superhero. Or, when I put on large sunglasses and a trench coat I could be Jackie O.


It is from the same place in my heart that I love the Blue Heel Society. By wearing blue shoes, we can all become diabetes advocates. Recent discrimination about diabetes in the media last week shows me that advocacy foot soldiers have some work to do with our blue shoes in explaining the truth of diabetes. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you on advocacy and advances in diabetes here in the spirit of blue shoes each month.

One advance that I think all blue-shoe-wearing diabetes advocates should be aware of is nanotechnology. With nanotechnology, insulin injections may soon be a thing of the past. At UCSF, professor of bio-engineering, Tejal Desai, implants millions of pancreatic cells that secrete insulin into tiny capsules that can be implanted into the body in an effort to create an artificial pancreas. When blood sugar flows inside the capsule, it stimulates the cells to produce insulin to control sugar levels. The device has nano pores, pores so small that the body's diabetes antibodies cannot get in to attack the pancreas cells, but large enough that the insulin made by the cells can flow out and into the body. The device is undergoing extensive testing in animals right now and is not yet available for humans. However, I recommend following these developments closely with your doctor to see if you or your loved one might benefit from participating in a trial when trials start.






- Jennifer Shine Dyer MD, MPH
drjenshinedyer@gmail.com
Columbus, Ohio