Our research work has three main lines

1. To study the heterogeneity of childhood diabetes (were we focus on the link between type 1 and type 2 diabetes) with the overall aims to increase the knowledge of the pathogenesis behind the disease (dissect the heterogeneisis) and improving classification towards individualized medicine.  To study this aims we started the national BDD study (Better Diabetes Diagnostics) 2005 which I coordinate where today more than 10.000 children with diabetes are included. In this study we also focus on classification of diabetes in the childhood diabetes population, as well as subclassify children with type 1 diabetes who are at increased risk to develop late complications as well as other comorbidity such as other autoimmune diseases (thyroid disease and celiac disease) and to link these different subgroups of children within the Type 1 Diabetes population to different environmental triggers.

2. We also focus on the risk to develop celiac disease after the onset of diabetes in the Type 1 Diabetes childhood population. We try to find the predictive factors important for the increased risk to develop both diseases. And we will also use this data to develop a safe and cost effective screening tool finding children at risk for celiac disease.

3. We are also working with a clinical trial, the Diabglut study where the aim of this project is to investigate whether a gluten free diet after the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) can better preserve the remaining beta cell mass and study if a year gluten free diet may at the same time prevent the development of Celiac Disease (CD) in these patients. We will test the hypothesis that gluten free diet in children with recent onset T1D will implement immune regulation and inhibit the activation of potentially autoreactive T cells. In this project we investigate the impact of gluten free diet on the regulation of autoimmune responses This study will also investigate a clinical setting; if a gluten free diet has an impact on the p-glucose in the daily life, study the glycemic index in gluten free products comparing having normal diet and we are also investigating the impact of a gluten free diet on the quality of life This project started 2016, we have 25 patients included and will continue until 2018 and then analyse data.

Research group:
BMA Qefsere Brahimi (responsible for the BDD laboratory)

PhD student, Marie Lindgren (St läkare in Norrköping) has her focus on Celiac Disease in children with diabetes.

PhD student, Mara Bybrandt (Pediatrician, KI)has her focus on gastrointestinal problems and celiac disease in Type 1 Diabetes.

PhD student, Hanna Söderström (Doctor), responsible for the Diabglut-study, preserving B-cells mass and preventing celiac disease in children with newly onset diabetes by a glutenfree diet during one year after the onset.

PhD student, Jasaman Tojjar (doctor)

Research nurses, Cathrine Astermark and Carina Ärlebring