For people with an increased T1D risk
How did people with an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes benefit from INNODIA research?
At present, the risk of family members in developing the disease is based on the detection of auto-antibodies against beta-cell proteins, that are detectable in your blood. Such antibodies are a type of protein produced by cells in the immune system that can attack healthy cells in the body because they recognize them as ‘foreign’ cells.
The risk of developing type 1 diabetes increases with the number of autoantibodies detected. Importantly, these autoantibodies can be present for many years before someone develops T1D. They often appear in the first few years of life, even in people who do not develop T1D until they are adults. Therefore, more fundamental research is necessary in order to find more and better biomarkers for predicting T1D.
First degree relatives of people with type 1 diabetes
INNODIA analyzes blood, urine and stool samples of first-degree relatives (brothers, sisters, parents or children) of people with T1D because we know that relatives share genes with their family member and therefore may be at greater risk of developing the disease.
People with an increased risk in the general population
The project welcomed ALL autoantibody positive people with an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes, detected through screening programs outside INNODIA. Recruitment is now completed.