Julie Burkett
The College of New Jersey
Maureen Gannon lab
Autoimmune diabetes, also referred to as type one diabetes, is a chronic disease characterized by the autoimmune mediated destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The loss of beta cell mass leads to extreme hyperglycemia and lifelong dependence on administration of exogenous insulin to maintain euglycemia. I am studying the potential to enhance beta cell survival and dampen the autoimmune attack in type one diabetes by modulating prostaglandin E2 signaling through prostaglandin receptors 3 and 4 (EP3 and EP4).