PEOPLE > ScientistsSchneyer Laboratory
Melissa Brown, Ph.D. R.D. Telephone: 413.794.0899 Research Scientist, PVLSI Education B.A., Nutrition, University of Massachusetts Amherst Postdoctoral Experience Pancreatic Islet Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, MA |
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Pancreatic Islet Transplantation, Diabetes, Nutrition Millions of diabetics suffer an extremely poor quality of life due to complications of their disease. The challenge is in finding a cure. Progress is being made, with many routine and experimental treatment options available. One promising experimental approach is pancreatic islet cell transplantation. Islet cells are the cells in the pancreas that regulate blood sugar levels by secreting insulin. Type I diabetics are lacking this mechanism due to destruction of their own islet cells by an auto-immune response. Islet transplantation involves the removal of healthy islet cells from a deceased donor for transplantation into a diabetic recipient with the goal of providing the required insulin response to control blood sugars. There are still many obstacles to overcome before this procedure can become routine. Some areas of investigation include eliminating the need for immunosuppression, beta islet cell expansion/proliferation in vivo and in vitro, improvement of long-term islet cell culture, enhancement of islet engraftment post-transplantion and improved perioperative islet transplantation protocols to extend the long-term success of the procedure. With potential demand greatly exceeding the supply of available donor tissue, beta islet cell expansion and alternative sources of creating insulin producing cells are critical areas of research. Current activities in the lab are concentrated on these areas with particular focus on protecting islet cells after transplantation, enhancing the insulin secretory capabilities of isolated islets and investigating methodologies to stimulate expansion and proliferation of beta islet cells in culture and in vivo. Working Groups: Endocrinology and Metabolism Working Group Download Dr. Brown's profile » Selected papers: M. Brown, G. Elias, L. Cicalese, C. Rastellini. Early intervention for chronic pancreatitis patients with a pancreatectomy followed by autologous islet transplantation to increase the likelihood for insulin independence. 200x (submitted). S. Morini, M. Brown, L. Cicalese G. Elias, E. Gaudio, C. Rastellini. Microvascular pattern of pancreatic mouse islets graft under the kidney capsule. Diabetes. 2007 200x (submitted). S. Morini, M. Brown, L. Cicalese, G. Elias, E. Gaudio, C. Rastellini. Revascularization and remodeling of pancreatic islets grafted under the kidney capsule. Journal of Anatomy. 2007;210(5):565-77.Epub 2007 Mar 29. C. Rastellini, M. Brown, L. Cicalese. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia following pancreatectomy and islet auto-transplantation. Clinical Transplantation. 2006;20:156-158. M. Brown, M. Braun, L. Cicalese, C. Rastellini. Effect of perioperative antioxidant therapy on suboptimal islet transplantation in rats. Transplantation Proceedings. 2005 Jan-Feb;37(1):217-219. M. Brown, M. Braun, P. Mercado, L. Cicalese, E. Benedetti, C. Rastellini. Pyruvate improves pancreatic islet engraftment and functionality. Transplantation Proceedings. 2001 Nov-Dec;33(7-8):3523. |
