Date of Award

5-1-2006

Document Type

Research Paper

First Advisor

Devin Iimoto

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is an ever increasing pandemic. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), although not the most prevalent form of diabetes mellitus, has had an “average annual increase of 3.09%, meaning the incidence of T1DM would increase 40% from 1998 to 2010”. T1DM leads to many complications: adverse side effects such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. These comorbidities are costing the United States billions of healthcare dollars per year. Delaying complications result in cost savings and improved quality of life, which can be obtained by tightly controlling blood sugars. However, strict control is difficult to attain. Optimal glucose levels may be achieved by mimicking the natural feedback processes of the pancreas and liver. We believe that developing an artificial pancreas which emulates the natural feedback processes of the body will eliminate the arduous tasks of checking blood glucose levels and insulin injection for persons with diabetes. This project explored how glucose metabolism is altered in T1DM and explored the benefits of tight blood glucose control. By gathering information from a clinical research internship and a scientific literature search, the body’s natural feedback control was understood, and ways to develop an artificial pancreas were determined; moreover, blood glucose control and improved quality of life were seen in patients with T1DM.

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