TERMIS 2021 | Challenges in β cell replacement therapy

Lorenzo Piemonti, MD, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy, addresses limitations in developing β cell replacement therapy for Type 1 diabetes. Whilst clinical trials assessing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived therapies have shown clinical benefit, there are major hurdles that need to be overcome. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, so the use of both allogeneic and autologous cell therapies will induce a host immune response. Bioinvisible materials can surpass the need for immunosuppressive drugs by enabling the cells to evade the immune system. This interview took place at the 6th World Congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS 2021).