Vision and organization
Diabetes affects approximately 5% of the Norwegian population. The frequency of diabetes in Norway is steadily rising, which is considered problematic due to the many severe complications of the disease. Center for Diabetes Research is an interdisciplinary research center that integrates clinical investigations with large-scale genetic analyses and different model systems.
Main content
The main aim for Center for Diabetes Research is to develop new diagnostic tools that can be tested in population-based registries and biobanks before being used in clinical practice, thus facilitating individualized diabetes care. To reach this goal, we are working to:
1. Find new genetic risk factors for diabetes and its complications
2. Reveal novel disease mechanisms in diabetes development
3. Develop and implement improved targeted treatment of diabetes
We have gathered expertise personnel in clinical, epidemiological and experimental diabetes research in one laboratory located at the Children and Youth Hospital, close to the institute of clinical medicine, the building for basic biological sciences, the laboratory building and the central building at the University of Bergen and Haukeland University Hospital.
Center for Diabetes Research is organized in six research groups:
- The Njølstad group (group leader: Professor Pål R. Njølstad, MD PhD) works to improve clinical characterization of diabetes and analyze health registries and biobanks to discover new diabetes genes and risk factors.
- The Ræder group (group leader: Professor Helge Ræder, MD PhD) create mature stem cells and prepare pancreas cells to study diabetes and pancreas failure.
- The Chera group (group leader: Professor Simona Chera, PhD) works with cell fate mechanisms in relation to regenerative strategies employed in biological systems.
- The Molven group (group leader: Professor Anders Molven, PhD) use large-scale genetic analyses on various patient material and test new genetic variants in families and registries.
- The Johansson group (group leader: Professor Stefan Johansson, PhD) investigates how genetic variation contribute to disease using multiple approaches.
- The Lyssenko group (group leader: Professor Valeriya Lyssenko, MD PhD) study the many complications of diabetes.
Read more about MODY and genetic counseling here and feel free to visit our Facebook page here.
Prevalence
Estimations from 2020 show that 316.000-345.000 persons in Norway have diabetes. The frequency is rising, and the number of people with the diagnosis has almost doubled in the last 20 years.
Disease characteristics
Diabetes is a collective name for a group of diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels and problems with the production of and/or sensitivity for the hormone insulin. The most common forms of diabetes are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Monogenic diabetes
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) and neonatal diabetse are rare forms of congenital diabetes, and are caused by mutations in one gene. There are multiple different types (dependent on which gene is mutated), and together they make up 2-3% of all diabetes cases.
Complications
Diabetes is a serious illness due to the many complications, which includes cardiovascular disease, impaired kidney function, impaired vision and reduced nerve function.