Shot Free?

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Tiny carbon tubes are helping researchers find a way to free Type 1 diabetics from insulin shots. Using nanotechnology, Vanderbilt researchers have been able to continuously monitor the amount of insulin produced by transplanted cells. Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes can be treated by transplanting insulin-producing cells into a patient’s pancreas to replace nonfunctional cells. The team, led by Associate Professor of Chemistry David Cliffel, hopes to use the new microphysiometer and its nanotube-constructed electrode to measure the condition of cells before and after transplant, including the long-term effect of immunosuppressant drugs.