Diabetes Canada Podcast

Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, is one of the most feared complications of type 1 diabetes. That’s why researchers are looking for new and innovative ways to increase awareness of what DKA is and how it can be prevented. Host Krista Lamb talks Dr. Bruce Perkins about his research to develop a tool to reduce the risk of DKA, as well as exciting new technologies in type 1 diabetes.

How can we change the conversation about diabetes? For Diabetes Awareness Month, that’s a question Diabetes Canada is tackling head on. On this episode, host Krista Lamb is talking to Laura Syron, President and CEO of Diabetes Canada, about the many ways we can improve outcomes for people by rethinking how we talk about living with diabetes. This is part two of a two-part series with Laura – if you haven’t heard part one, be sure to go back and listen to the episode before this one.

How can we change the conversation about diabetes? For Diabetes Awareness Month, that’s a question Diabetes Canada is tackling head on. On this episode, host Krista Lamb is talking to Laura Syron, President and CEO of Diabetes Canada, about her journey with type 2 diabetes and the many ways we can improve outcomes for people by rethinking how we talk about living with this condition. This is part one of a two-part series with Laura, so be sure to watch out for our next episode to hear the conclusion of the chat!

Many people are at risk for both diabetes and heart attacks. Millions of people take statin drugs to lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks. But could these drugs also increase the risk for type 2 diabetes? Host Krista Lamb talks to Dr. Jonathan Schertzer about his work on improving the safety and effectiveness of statins. Dr. Schertzer is an associate professor in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University, who holds a Canada Research Chair in Metabolic Inflammation. He is also the winner of Diabetes Canada’s 2023 Early Career Researcher Award.

As technology in type 1 diabetes becomes more advanced, we are starting to see an increase in personalized therapies. Whether someone is using hybrid closed loop or multiple daily injections, there are options being studied to make living with diabetes easier to manage. On this episode, host Krista Lamb interviews Dr. Ahmad Haidar from McGill University about his research into diabetes technologies. Dr. Haidar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering who leads the McGill Diabetes Technologies Lab.

Exercise is important for people with type 2 diabetes – and you don’t have to run a marathon or hit the gym daily to get great results. Host Krista Lamb talks Dr. Mary Jung about her research on how small changes in physical activity levels can have big impact. Dr. Jung is an associate professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan Campus.

Driving with diabetes shouldn’t be a challenge, but in some cases managing blood sugars while behind the wheel can lead to difficult outcomes. On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Ian Blumer about what you need to know about driving and hypoglycemia. He explains the potential problems people with insulin-treated diabetes might face and how to avoid them.

In someone without diabetes, blood sugars are controlled by a hormone called insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels, and is produced by cells in the pancreas called beta cells. If someone is at risk of developing diabetes, their beta cells can't produce enough insulin, which puts the beta cells under stress. The beta cells try to adapt, but if this fails, a vicious cycle begins. On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Dan Luciani about beta cells and his lab’s work to better understand them. Dr. Luciani is an investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver, and an associate professor in the Department of Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.

The vagus nerve is an important part of our nervous system that can regulate blood sugar levels by controlling insulin activity. When the vagus nerve malfunctions, that can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. On this episode of the Diabetes Canada Podcast, host Krista Lamb talks to Dr. Minna Woo about her research into how manipulating the vagus nerve may play a role in one day preventing or treating type 2 diabetes.

Beta cells play a big role in diabetes, and what we know about them continues to evolve. On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Bruce Verchere about beta cells and his lab’s work to better understand them. Dr. Verchere is the director of the BC Diabetes Research Network and a Scientist at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver.

Diabetes and heart disease are deeply connected – that’s why research into new and innovative treatments is so important. In this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr Sonia Butalia about her career and her work looking at new therapies to support heart health for those with diabetes. Dr. Butalia is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. She is also the winner of the 2022 Diabetes Canada Early Career Investigator Award.

Recently, there has been discussion about ways to potentially put type 2 diabetes into remission. When possible, it could potentially reduce complications and allow people with the condition to reduce or go off medication completely. But, as with most things in diabetes, it’s complicated. And it’s not for everyone. On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Harpreet Bajaj who is an endocrinologist and the director of late-phase research at LMC Diabetes. Dr. Bajaj is leading the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes in Canada, which recently developed an update that looks at the possibility for type 2 diabetes remission. Read the Guidelines here!

When you live with diabetes, your treatment plan may need the occasional change. However, in some cases that doesn’t happen. That might be because of an issue known as “clinical or therapeutic inertia”. Dr. Peter Senior, Director of the Alberta Diabetes Institute, joins host Krista Lamb to discuss what this is and why it matters.

In Canada, leading stem cell scientists are working hard to find ways to use these cells to improve the health of people living with type 1 diabetes. On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Francis Lynn from the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Lynn is leading research projects using stem-cell-derived beta cells, as well as exploring ways to use CRISPR technology in this work. He is also the winner of the 2021 Early Career Researcher Partnership Award from Diabetes Canada.

Did you know that people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those without diabetes? This fact has inspired researchers like Dr. Gillian Hawker to look at ways to better support those managing both of these chronic conditions. Dr. Hawker is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, where she is the Sir John & Lady Eaton Professor & Chair of the Department of Medicine. She is also a Clinician-Scientist at the Women’s College Research Institute.

A number of scientists around the world are researching brown adipose tissue to determine the role this brown fat plays in type 2 diabetes. On this episode, host Krista Lamb speaks with Dr. Andre Carpentier, who is a clinician scientist at Sherbrook University and the Co-Scientific Lead at Diabetes Action Canada. Dr. Carpentier is giving a sneak peek of his talk from the Diabetes Canada/CSEM Professional Conference and Annual General Meetings, which are taking place in Calgary, Alberta from November 9 – 12, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta. Interested in learning more or registering to attend in-person or virtually? Visit dcanconference.ca for more information.

Historically, type 2 diabetes has been seen as a condition that comes with age. However, that continues to change as people are diagnosed earlier and earlier. In the past 10 years, rates of type 2 diabetes in teenagers have doubled in Canada. Preventing the condition in adolescents has never been more important. Our guest this week is Dr. Jon McGavock who is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba and an researcher at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.

Transitions are hard. The transition from pediatric to adult care in type 1 diabetes (T1D) can be especially fraught. Add in barriers beyond just living with diabetes and that adds a whole other layer of complexity, but researchers around the world are working to ensure better outcomes for all. Today on the Diabetes Canada Podcast we’re talking to Dr. Rayzel Shulman about the transition from pediatric to adult care in T1D. Dr. Shulman is a pediatric endocrinologist at Sick Kids Hospital and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. Her research is focused on developing and evaluating health services interventions to improve outcomes and the quality of care for youth with T1D as they transition to adulthood.

Diabetes Canada’s camping tradition began in 1953 in Eastern Ontario. Since that time, the D-Camps program has grown extensively and the organization currently operates nine overnight camp programs across Canada plus numerous year-round programs. Dr. Ilana Halperin and Dr. Noah Ivers are our guests this episode. As a family, they have spent time at D-Camps as part of the medical staff and support system, and they’re happy to share how the experience has affected them. Dr. Halperin is an endocrinologist at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, and Dr. Ivers is a family physician at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.

Research has shown that children who have obesity in puberty are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Scientists like Dr. Vincent Poitout are hoping to learn why this happens and ways we can prevent it. His work in this area was recently funded by Diabetes Canada and CIHR. Dr. Poitout is the director of research at the University of Montreal Health Centre and a professor at the University of Montreal.