The loss of insulin producing cells characterise Type I diabetes. Type I diabetes is currently representing around 10 % of all diabetic patients, with serious implications for both quality of life and healthcare costs.
In vitro culture of insulin producing cells on an artificial support, designed to provide both a three-dimensional (3D) configuration and ECM-like biochemical interactions, could potentially grant better conditions and thus offer a way to both preserve function and viability, and possibly even allow expansion of the insulin producing cells.

The long-term goal of our work is to achieve pre-requisites for transplantable, functional insulin producing cells for both research use and clinical application.