Douglas Sobel, M.D.

Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology

• M.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1974

Contact Information:

Pasquerilla Healthcare Center, Second Floor Georgetown University Medical Center 3800 Reservoir Road, NW Washington, DC 20057 T: 202-444-8881 Contact Information

Our research study attempts to develop a possible treatment for Diabetes Mellitus by injecting a gene construct (rAAV) into non-human primates which will allow glucose regulated insulin secretion. Dr. Sobel’s collaborator, Dr. J.W. Yoon, has already developed a gene construct with a rodent regulator that cures diabetes when injected into rats and mice by stimulating liver cells into making insulin in response to changes in glucose levels. This therapeutic approach has not been tested on larger animals or non-human primates and it is Dr. Sobel’s hope that humans will be able to use this treatment. A major aim of the study is to determine if the transfer of the gene construct produces functional insulin activity to improve glucose utilization or reverse the diabetic state of insulin deficiency. A successful gene construct transfer would decrease exogenous daily insulin requirement, improve the body’s handling of glucose load, improve glycemic control, and cause a non-insulin requiring state (cure). This research study attempts to discover the required dosage of the gene construct, the duration of insulin gene expression before the effect diminishes, the immunological responses to the gene construct (rAAV), and the potential toxicities of this therapy. These important pieces of information can then form the basis of future studies for exploring the possibility of a human cure for diabetes using gene therapy.

Representative Publications:

More Publications at PubMed

Related Links:

• Diabetes Research & Education Program