A part of the UAB family for over 12 years, Hubert Tse, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology, is an expert in diabetes research. Tse’s research interests in Microbiology include understanding the immunological mechanisms involved in Type 1 diabetes pathogenesis and islet transplantation rejection. Tse has been published in several peer-reviewed publications, including Journal of Immunology, Immunohorizons, and Diabetes, and has received a number of grants, awards, and honors.
November is National Diabetes Month, a time when communities across the country team up to bring attention to diabetes. We asked Dr. Tse for his thoughts as we recognize and bring awareness to diabetes this month.
"This November, we appreciate the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of insulin by Banting and Best. This discovery has allowed patients with Type 1 diabetes to lower their blood glucose levels and live a relatively normal life. Recent advances in technology (artificial pancreas) and stem cell biology (induced pluripotent stem cell-derived beta-cells) have enabled patients to properly control fluctuations in blood glucose and the potential to restore endogenous insulin-producing beta-cells, respectively. While these advances have been monumental and life changing for patients with Type 1 diabetes, there is still a need to increase our understanding of autoimmune responses, to identify better biomarkers of disease progression, and develop combinatorial immunotherapies that can prevent beta-cell destruction. Our lab is interested in determining the genetic factors that contribute to Type 1 diabetes susceptibility, how viruses may be involved in triggering diabetes, assess the role of inflammation on autoreactive T cell responses, and whether encapsulation of islets can provide immunosuppression following transplantation. Hopefully before the 200-year anniversary of the discovery of insulin, Type 1 diabetes will be an autoimmune disease of the past and the knowledge obtained from our lab will contribute to a potential cure."
Visit Dr. Hubert Tse's academic profile to learn more about his research. For more information and resources on diabetes, The Diabetes Research Center at UAB focuses on developing new methods to treat, prevent, and ultimately cure diabetes and its complications.