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TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
Reawakening Potential
How One Researcher Is Teaching Pancreatic Cells New Tricks
When we think of transplant medicine, many of us immediately picture high-stakes, lifesaving surgeries that last hours and involve the transfer of a vital organ to a patient in dire need. But cell transplantation, a far less invasive approach, focuses on restoration at the cellular level rather than replacement of entire organs, offering new possibilities for treatment and recovery.
Omaima M. Sabek, PhD, has spent nearly two decades advancing the field of transplant science at Houston Methodist. Her work in the human islet research laboratory — established by Dr. A. Osama Gaber, the John F., Jr. and Carolyn Bookout Presidential Distinguished Chair in the Department of Surgery — leads a promising new frontier: exploring the therapeutic potential of transplanted pancreatic cells to treat diabetes. Dr. Gaber remains a key contributor, offering strategic guidance and support to propel ongoing discoveries. Recent breakthroughs in the lab drew the attention of an anonymous donor, whose support established the Islet Cell Discoveries and Innovation Fund in the Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, a division of the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center.
CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOCUSES ON RESTORATION AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL RATHER THAN THE REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE ORGANS, OFFERING NEW POSSIBILITIES
Islet cells are the central focus for many researchers working toward a functional cure for diabetes. These clusters of cells, located in the pancreas, produce and secrete hormones that regulate blood sugar — a vital process for maintaining the body’s energy supply. In patients with diabetes, particularly those with insulin resistance, a subset of these cells, known as insulin-producing beta cells, is often deficient. This is where donor cells, and Dr. Sabek’s research, come into play. “We don’t want to just manage diabetes — we want to reverse it,” says Dr. Sabek. “Current therapies manage blood glucose but don’t address the underlying beta cell deficiency.”
When beta cells are donated to a patient with insulin resistance, they often become overworked trying to meet the body’s demands. Upon further study, Dr. Sabek and her team realized that rather than dying, these cells can revert to a stem-like state — essentially shutting down and waiting for the right conditions to reactivate. This insight opened the door to regenerative studies aimed at restoring beta cell function.
Building on this discovery, the team developed an unprecedented therapy designed to reactivate these dormant cells. The therapy centers on a peptide — a small chain of molecules that acts like a biological messenger, helping cells to communicate. In preclinical studies, this peptide not only improved insulin production but also reduced inflammation and enhanced liver function. “We’re fortunate to work with human islet cells because this provides a unique opportunity to test therapies in a way that’s closer to their real-world application,” says Dr. Sabek.
"THIS GIFT ALLOWS US TO MOVE FASTER, DIG DEEPER AND DISCOVER ALL THE POTENTIAL WAYS THIS PEPTIDE CAN CHANGE LIVES."
Currently working to secure intellectual property rights through a patent application, Dr. Sabek and fellow researchers hope to eventually translate the peptide into a clinical therapy. She expresses deep gratitude for the anonymous donor’s support and points to philanthropy as the key to giving new treatments the foundation they need to be safely tested in patients. “Their trust means the world,” she says. “This gift allows us to move faster, dig deeper and discover all the potential ways this peptide can change lives.”
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