Autoimmune Life Blog

A new study, led by a BRI researcher and published in Science Translational Medicine, put engineered t-regulatory cells to the test. In lab tests, the research team found that the engineered cells controlled the cells that attack the pancreas in T1D patients.

Scientists at the Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) and TrialNet, a global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research consortium, have spent decades working to answer a bold question: Can we stop T1D before it starts?

When Nina and Georg Pedersen were writing charitable gifts into their will, they had two goals: finding meaningful ways to honor their family and recognizing the expert care they’ve received at Virginia Mason.

At age 14, Mara, who is now in her 30s, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. A few years ago, she also learned she had celiac disease and was recently confronted with a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.

A team led by Peter Linsley, PhD, and Karen Cerosaletti, PhD, recently uncovered a clue that could help solve the mystery of why and how T1D starts and maybe even open the door to new therapies that stop the disease.

You’ve probably heard of Down syndrome. You may even remember that it’s caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. But fewer people know that almost half of those with Down syndrome have an autoimmune disease. Or that they are at lower risk of solid tumor cancers like breast cancer.

Among the many mysteries of autoimmune diseases, we know one thing for sure: These diseases are connected. They often occur when immune cells called T cells mistakenly attack healthy tissue — say the pancreas in type 1 diabetes (T1D) or the gut in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

BRI’s vision is to create a healthy immune system for everyone. But before we can do that, we need to answer a key question: What exactly does a healthy immune system look like?

The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big step for any kid. Multiple teachers instead of one, new letter grades, no recess. It’s a different world, especially when most of fifth grade took place at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.