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Research in the Pipeline

Diabetes – Neuroscientists Investigate Nasal-Spray Insulin as Neuropathy Treatment

About 50% of people with diabetes experience pain, tingling and numbness in their hands, arms, feet and legs because of a nerve disorder called diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Drs. Cory Toth and Lawrence Korngut of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary recently began a two-year clinical trial to test the efficacy and safety of delivering aerosolized insulin through the nose to the brain and the nervous system. The early-stage clinical trial builds on years of animal studies suggesting insulin helps ease nerve damage associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. “If benefits are shown in the short-term, small sample survey, funding will be sought for a larger, multi-centre study,” says Dr. Toth, “with the ultimate goal being the development of a therapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.”

Gum Disease – Disease-Detecting Rinse Awaits Major Trial to Make it to Market

What if there was a mouthwash that could signal the presence of periodontal disease before it causes dental difficulties and allows chemicals to flow into the bloodstream and do harm? Dr. Michael Glogauer of the University of Toronto has developed just such an oral rinse. It changes colour when it detects elevated inflammatory cell counts in the mouth – a sign that periodontal disease is taking hold – in time to take action before damage is done. With CIHR funding, early-stage safety studies have been completed and Dr. Glogauer is now looking for an industry partner to conduct a large-scale clinical trial before taking the rinse to the marketplace.

Arthritis – Examining the Impacts of Work on Managing Chronic Disease

Dealing with a chronic disease is difficult; dealing with it while trying to stay employed can be doubly so. “We’ve heard a lot about work/family balance – finding the right balance so you’re not at the dinner table texting on your BlackBerry or at work dealing with the things going on at home – but there has been little research into work/health balance and chronic diseases,” says Dr. Monique Gignac of Toronto’s University Health Network. “It can be very hard to take care of your health when trying just to keep working.” Dr. Gignac leads a three-year investigation into how the work environment affects people with arthritis, a disease that 16% of Canadians share ¹. She will be surveying some 400 people to examine how balancing a chronic condition and work affects health and impacts productivity. The findings will be vital to patients, policy makers and human resource leaders.

1. Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010, Life with Arthritis in Canada: A personal and public health challenge.