Biancamaria Longoni

Department of Oncology, Transplantation and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Ospedale Cisanello, Via Paradisa, 2, Pisa, Italy.

Biography

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease, leading to pancreatic β-cell destruction and loss of glycaemic control. Administration of exogenous insulin to diabetic patients prevents life-threatening metabolic derangement, but may fail to prevent other longterm complications, such as kidney failure or diabetic retinopathy. Islet transplantation is a low-risk surgical procedure, affording improved glucose homeostasis provided sufficient islets engraft in the liver.