Abstract

The islets of Langerhans, endocrine micro-organs within the pancreas, are at the center of multiple metabolic diseases, from hyperinsulinism to diabetes. Islets elaborate the key hormones, glucagon and insulin, that control glucose homeostasis, and their dysfunction in diabetes causes severe morbidity in more than 300 million people worldwide, with associated health care costs in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually. This Keystone Symposia meeting will cover innovative research in all aspects of islet biology, from the developmental origin of endocrine cell types in fetal life, to beta-cell failure in type 2 diabetes. The specific goals of the conference are to: 1) Present unpublished data that cover critical knowledge gaps in the field; 2) Evaluate the state of the art of novel therapeutics for diabetes, including cell replacement therapies; and 3) Provide training for young investigators in the field. New international collaborations fostered by this conference should accelerate progress in this important field of biomedical research. This meeting is being held joint with  Stem Cells and Regeneration in the Digestive Organs.