Every year, we celebrate #DiabetesAwarenessMonth in November, with #WorldDiabetesDay on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

This year, we had quite a few activities all throughout this significant month – from crowning the winners of our Open Innovation Challenge to launching our first crowdfunding campaign, renaming our Lived Experience Panel and far beyond. Read all about it here!

(Re-)Introducing our Lived Experience Panel

At DCB, people living with diabetes are at the core of all that we do. We highly value our experts living with diabetes and are committed to ending diabetes stigma in society, research and innovation. Because of this, we took Diabetes Awareness Month as an opportunity to rename our former “Patient Leaders”, initiated in 2021, to “Lived Experience Panel”! People living with diabetes are much more than just “patients” to us and we want to reflect this in the language we use:

LinkedIn Announcement

Our community is very important to us and we want to ensure that everything we do is person-centered and user-focused. Because of this, we took Diabetes Awareness Month as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on our Lived Experience Experts and ask them for their opinions and experiences:

What do you wish more people knew about life with diabetes?

If you could wish for a new product on the market, what would it be?

Why is it so important to end diabetes stigma?

Open Innovation Challenge

Our Open Innovation Challenge and the Start-Up Night on 9 November were at the core of our activities during Diabetes Awareness Month. We kicked the month off with our Innovation Bootcamp in the Swiss Alps and celebrated this year’s finalists and winners in Berne! You can read all about this year’s challenge in our last newsletter and in case you missed it, watch the highlight clip of our big Start-Up Night here:

Crowdfunding

During the Start-Up Night, we not only announced the winners of the Open Innovation Challenge – we also had some other exciting news: our first crowdfunding campaign was launched!

Until Christmas, you can still donate to it – all profits go to the People’s Diabetes Foundation-Belize. With only a small amount of money, you can make a big impact on the lives of people living with diabetes in Belize. The money will be used for life-saving diabetes supplies and will support the educational work of PDF-Belize, working hard to improve life with diabetes and remove the stigma around it:

Donate now and make a difference for people living with diabetes in Belize: https://wemakeit.com/projects/diabetes-supply-for-belize

WHO Global Diabetes Compact Forum

Just in time for Diabetes Awareness Month, we joined the World Health Organization Global Diabetes Compact Forum! On 2 November, the 5th meeting of the WHO Global Diabetes Compact Forum kicked off and Derek Brandt introduced us as a new member. We look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration – to make life better for people living with diabetes worldwide.

DT Report (German)

This year, we joined the German DT-Report – an annual report covering attitudes about diabetes technology. The survey is available for both people living with diabetes and doctors from the field. If you are from Switzerland, Austria or Germany, please consider participating to make a contribution to research:

DT Report (German)

To round up our activities of Diabetes Awareness Month, we want to point the spotlight back to the activities of our Lived Experience Experts, continuously advocating for a better life with diabetes in their free time:

• Lucía Feito Allonca is developing a Spanish-speaking international diabetes space, sharing news and information regarding projects, congresses, technologies, opportunities and much more: glucomundo.com
• Tinotenda Dzikiti is hosting a well-known diabetes advocacy podcast. In the name of community and inclusion, it was recently wrapped up under the name “Diabetic Mogul Podcast” and is being revamped as “Global Diabetes Insights” for 2024: LinkedIn announcement
• Leon Tribe is hosting a blog with accurate, impartial information for people with diabetes: https://practicaldiabetic.com/
• Crystal Diaz is the advocacy chair of Subtle Asian Diabetics, an online advocacy group for Asians with all types of diabetes to come together and encourage one another. Follow them on Instagram @subtleasiandiabetics and Facebook @subtleasiandiabetics!

Want to connect with them? Please have a look at our full list of Lived Experience Experts – continuously expanding: https://www.dcberne.com/en/community/

What a successful Diabetes Awareness Month it was – definitely one for the books! Thanks so much for reading and we’ll provide you with the next episode of this series soon.

This edition was authored by Svea Krutisch, Digital Communications Specialist at DCB.

Die DCB Open Innovation Challenge

The DCB Open Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for anyone with an innovative solution to change diabetes management. It only takes an idea to participate for anyone – whether a healthcare professional, a start-up, a person living with diabetes or others. Those who share their ideas receive sparring and feedback from experts. It all culminates in the DCB Start-Up night, where we award the winners for both categories. The DCB Open Innovation Challenge award is one of the world’s most generous and renowned diabetes-related awards.

This year, incredible 66 ideas were submitted to the challenge, with three finalists in each category. These six finalists from the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, Ireland, South Africa and France pitched their projects live on stage in Bern in front of 300 guests and an international jury, who then chose the winner of each category.

But how exactly did we get here and what did the DCB Open Innovation Challenge look like? Read all about the journey below.

Our Top 20 in the Categories “Diabetes Devices” and “Digital Diabetes”

Before we were able to select our top 3 in each category to travel to our bootcamp and the much-anticipated DCB Start-Up Night, we selected our Top 20 per category:

Top 20 Diabetes Devices

Top 20 Digital Diabetes

The Top 20 of each category received mentoring from chosen experts of our network on various topics, ranging from co-creation experts to regulatory specialists. Additionally, we hosted a Pitch Training session before their big Pitch Day, where they could network and learn from our experts as well as their peers about how to improve their pitch and convince our jury.

The Innovation Bootcamp – 4 intense days of learning and networking in the Swiss Alps

To get ready for the DCB Start-Up Night with pitches and winners’ celebrations, we took all six finalists to a bootcamp in the Swiss Alps. Over the course of four days, we spent our time 1300 meters above sea level with a stunning view and mentoring, pitch training, 1:1 coaching, filming image videos (which were played during the Start-Up Night and we can’t wait to show you soon here on LinkedIn!) and of course, with many fruitful discussions and lots of networking.

But see for yourself! Our friends at Newsroom Communication were with us every step of the way and prepared a highlight clip to give you a glimpse behind the scenes:

The Winners of 2023

Am 9. November fand die diesjährige DCB Start-Up Night und Preisverleihung der Open Innovation Challenge 2023 statt. After an exciting evening of pitching, an international jury chose the winners of the third edition of the Open Innovation ChallengeThe first prizes of 100.000 USD in funding and in-kind support each went to MYNERVA (Switzerland) in the category Diabetes Devices and to Spotlight-AQ (U.K.) in the category Digital Diabetes.

MYNERVA, winner of the category Diabetes Devices, is developing a unique wearable device for people living with diabetic neuropathy. The device restores the sense of touch and decreases pain through a non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation driven by AI algorithms.

In her pitch, CEO Greta Preatoni emphasised the impact this can have on people’s quality of live, giving them back the ability to walk with more ease and without pain. After winning first place for Diabetes Devices, she shared:

“This was an amazing experience which brought us not only the win, but so many opportunities for development in the future. We are already thinking about how to implement not only the money that comes with the prize, but also the network that comes with it.”

Spotlight-AQ, winner of the category Digital Diabetes, is on a mission to improve routine visits by helping people with diabetes to feel heard and doctors feel empowered to care. It is a novel validated infographic assessment platform highlighting user priority concerns and immediate mapped resources to meet those unmet needs.

In her pitch, CSO Katharine Barnard-Kelly PhD emphasised the role this can play within the constraints of existing healthcare systems and structures, benefiting people with diabetes, while reducing burnout among treating physicians. After winning first place for Digital Diabetes, she shared:

“Winning the DCB Open Innovation Challenge means everything to us! We were really surprised, we are thrilled and it is vindication for the fact that psychosocial aspects of diabetes are so important and can be delivered in routine care.”

While the winners of the challenge received 100,000 USD in funding and in-kind support, the four remaining finalists – Fada Medical, ECLYPIA, Gluroo Imaginations Inc. and Africa Diabetes Chat (by Sweet Life Diabetes Community) – received 20.000 USD each, consisting of 10.000 USD in funding and 10.000 USD in-kind support.

It’s been a wonderful few months with the cohort of this year’s DCB Open Innovation Challenge and we are already eagerly awaiting next year’s! As Katharine Barnard, winner of the category Digital Diabetes put it:

“My experience with the DCB Open Innovation Challenge was exciting, intense, terrifying and just so much fun! It’s been an absolute blast and I’ve learnt so much.”

Now it’s your turn – it’s never too early to start brainstorming ideas for the next challenge. We’re excited to see what you come up with!“

Thanks so much for reading and we’ll provide you with the next episode of this series soon!

This edition was authored by Svea Krutisch, Digital Communications Specialist at DCB.

„We are laying the foundation for innovative therapies in diabetes.“

Maria Luisa Balmer has been an assistant professor at the Universität Bern and University Hospital of Bern and at the DCB (Diabetes Center Berne) since 2021. Together with her team, she researches the complex pathologically altered bodily functions (pathophysiology) and connections between the intestinal flora, metabolism and inflammation.

Prof. Dr. Balmer, what is your research about?

We want to understand in more detail how the gut microbiota contributes to people becoming obese, or not. The gut microbiota refers to a group of tiny organisms, mainly bacteria, that live in our gut and play an important role in digestion and health. We are interested in the following questions: Which bacteria are beneficial? Which ones are more likely to contribute to the development of obesity (severe overweight, from body mass index 30) and the associated complications such as diabetes or liver disease? And why is this so? Are there certain metabolic products with which the intestinal bacteria influence our metabolism? These are all questions that occupy us in the team and which we approach in very different ways.

What motivates you to work in the field of obesity and diabetes?

Obesity and type 2 diabetes have become a pandemic that is spreading ever faster. Whereas in the past it was mainly the industrialised nations that were affected, today it is also affecting countries that previously had to struggle with the opposite, namely malnutrition and underweight. I am also concerned that more and more children and adolescents are affected by obesity. Despite many efforts in the area of prevention and therapy, there are more and more overweight people, with the corresponding health consequences.

What is your biggest challenge as a professor?

As a researcher, doctor and mother of two children, my everyday life is incredibly varied, diverse and occasionally a little chaotic. I find the balancing act between all my different activities very challenging, but at the same time enriching. Die biggest challenge is probably not to miss out myself.

Prof. Dr. Maria Luisa Balmer. Photo: Sina Lou Ravasio

What goals do you want to achieve with your team and your laboratory, the TrIm-Lab (Translational Immunometabolism Lab)?

My goal with my research is to contribute to a better understanding of the mechanistic connections between the gut microbiota and the development of obesity and metabolic complications, and thus to gain new approaches to prevention and therapy. At the same time, it is important to me to be a role model for the next generation of young scientists and to show that becoming a professor is a realistic goal, even for people who have other priorities in life, such as a family.

What projects are you currently researching and how can they make life easier for people with diabetes?

Our research is incredibly broad – from mouse experiments to clinical trials. For example, we work with mice in which we can precisely control the composition of the intestinal bacteria and thus find out which bacteria contribute to the development of obesity. On the other hand, we are currently running a clinical trial called FibreGum with obese children and adolescents, in which we are testing a special chewing gum that contains dietary fibres. We hope that this will have a favourable influence on the composition of the intestinal microbiota and that we will be able to support the children in losing weight in a low-threshold way.

How do you work with the DCB?

My research laboratory and my office are located at the DCB and I very much appreciate the fruitful collaboration. In addition to the infrastructure, the DCB also actively supports us in conducting clinical trials. The familiar and friendly environment is inspiring and a prerequisite for successful research.

Where do you hope your field of research will be in 5-10 years? What is your vision?

I hope that we will understand more precisely how bacterial metabolism integrates with human metabolism and that this knowledge will benefit our patients in a personalised form. My vision is to fight diseases like obesity and diabetes, not only in the rich industrialised nations, but worldwide.

You recently received the Marie Heim-Vöglin Prize, awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). What pleased you most about this award?

For me, this prize is primarily a huge recognition, which of course makes me incredibly happy. It is wonderful that my research has met with such broad interest and that it has now found its way into the public eye through this prize. The response has been incredible and has touched me very much. I hope that this will motivate many young researchers to continue on their path. I will also continue my efforts to contribute to the fight against diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

About Maria Balmer

Maria Luisa Balmer is SNSF professor and research group leader at the University and Inselspital Bern. With her team at the DCB, she researches the connection between the microbiota, metabolism and the immune system in the context of obesity and diabetes. She is a specialist in general internal medicine and works in the osteometabolic consultation at the University Clinic for Endocrinology and Diabetology in Bern. Her goal is to fundamentally research the mechanisms and consequences of obesity and diabetes and thereby lay the foundation for innovative therapies. In addition, Maria Luisa Balmer is the winner of the Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize 2023, awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) for her research on intestinal bacteria and their role in the development of diabetes and morbid obesity.

Thanks so much for reading and we’ll provide you with the next episode of this series soon!

This edition was authored by Sunjoy Mathieu, Communication Manager at DCB.

Patient and public involvement is defined as “research done with or by patients and the public, not to, about or for them. It is about working collaboratively with patients and the public and sharing decision-making” [1]. It is not only about engaging the public to focus on awareness, nor is it about having patients merely participate in clinical studies.

At DCB, we aim to involve people living with diabetes at every step of the way and in all our processes – whether that be in the mentoring of our annual DCB Open Innovation Challenge, in our clinical research studies or in other decision processes.

PPI offers various benefits for researchers and companies. Most importantly, people living with a condition often know best which topics from their life remain under-researched and under-represented. Especially for translational research, which focuses on transferring scientific research into innovative product development, it can also uncover unmet needs that still need solutions. Altogether, involving those living with a condition in research processes can result in more impact overall.

DCB Patient Leaders

As part of our efforts to involve the diabetes community in our decisions and activities, we established a board of DCB patient leaders roughly two years ago. Our patient leaders represent lived diabetes experience in different parts of the world – from Switzerland all the way to Singapore. We greatly value the voices of those living with diabetes and believe that all processes should involve those with lived experience. Because after all, research and product development is being done because of and for those living with diabetes! To make it truly user-centric and impactful, we need to properly involve those with a sound judgment and lived experience of it.

PPI Event at DCB

Just recently, we hosted an event for patient and public involvement at our premises in Berne. In cooperation with the University of Bern and the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism (UDEM) at the University Hospital of Bern, we invited participants of our past research studies, people living with diabetes, researchers and the DCB team. Together, we all discussed past study outcomes as well as visions for future patient and public involvement.

We live and breathe patient and public involvement at DCB and we are always on the hunt for new innovative methods and activities. If you are interested or want to contribute your thoughts, please don’t hesitate to reach out and get involved with us!

Thanks so much for reading and we’ll provide you with the next episode of this series soon!_

[1] What is patient and public involvement? NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. https://oxfordbrc.nihr.ac.uk/ppi/ppi-researcher-guidance/what-is-patient-and-public-involvement/

Since the beginning of 2023, José García-Tirado has been a professor specialising in diabetes technology at the University Department of Diabetology, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism (UDEM) and at the DCB (Diabetes Center Berne). Together with his team, he is involved in the development of even more precise therapies such as closed-loop systems for people with diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

José, what is your research about?

In our research, we are investigating the effects of type 1 diabetes and how we can develop technological solutions to better manage glucose in the body. We use computer models to understand different aspects of metabolism. Part of our work involves developing automated systems that deliver insulin like a fully functioning pancreas. We test these ideas on the computer and in clinical trials to ultimately make them useful for people with diabetes.

What motivates you to work in the field of diabetes technology? How did you get involved in this topic?

I am an engineer, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes myself 10 years ago and had to overcome some hurdles, like most people with this disease. Coincidentally, I was attending a conference on the subject a few months later when I had an „aha“ moment. I realized that I needed to get involved with the topic and contribute to the advancement of the field.

This has inspired me to research better technologies for diabetes management. I find it exciting to turn complex ideas into practical solutions and help other people with diabetes.

What is your biggest challenge as a professor?

Being a professor nowadays takes most of your energy and thoughts every day. Balancing my passion and work with family/hobbies time proves to be very challenging. From the work perspective, being the leader of a research group demands constant planning, supervision of human resources, and progress evaluation. Making plans to work in this field also entails close collaboration with experienced medical doctors and knowing very well the regulatory pathways to working with human beings in an ethical and caring way.

Professor Dr. José García-Tirado. Assistant professor with tenure track in diabetes technology.

What goals do you want to achieve with your team and your lab, the PrecisionLab?

Our goal is to develop technologies that can better support people with type 1 diabetes. We not only want to manage blood sugar, but also reduce other health risks. To this end, we are investigating new therapies and developing intelligent algorithms for insulin pumps.

What projects are you currently researching and how can they make life easier for people with diabetes?

The first project deals with the construction of an algorithm deployment platform in collaboration with Universitat Politècnica de Valencia. Such a platform will allow us to test every AID (“automated insulin delivery”) design in a clinical setting.

The second project is the design and testing of the actual smart algorithm to modulate insulin from an insulin pump for people with type 1 diabetes. Such an algorithm will be deployed and tested in our algorithm deployment platform. To do so, we need to go through a rigorous regulatory process with Swiss Medic. After approval, we will test our algorithm on five (5) participants with T1D with real-life challenges.

The third project relates to the understanding and mathematical modeling of macronutrient (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) absorption in the bloodstream and how different compositions of meals affect glucose absorption.

Where do you hope your research field will be in 5-10 years? What is your vision ?

In the next few years, diabetes management technologies will evolve, with better sensors and insulin preparations. There is even the possibility of developing implantable systems that are even more similar to a pancreas. Similarly, we need to develop more accessible technologies for people with type 1 diabetes, as current options are often expensive and unavailable in many countries.

All these advances can significantly improve the quality of life of people with diabetes.

About José García-Tirado

José García-Tirado is an Assistant Professor of Smart Algorithms in Diabetes Technology at the University of Bern. He has a B.Sc. from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, a M.Sc. from CINVESTAV (Mexico), and a Ph.D. from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, all in the field of control systems engineering. He later did a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH Aachen) in 2013 and from 2017-2021 at the University of Virginia where he specialized in advanced control strategies for AID systems. Prof. García-Tirado has been faculty in three countries, at the Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano (2014-2017 – Medellin, Colombia), University of Virginia (2021-2023, Charlottesville, US), and University of Bern (2023).

Thanks so much for reading and we’ll provide you with the next episode of this series soon!

Do you already know all the services of DCB? With our Service Portfolio, DCB accompanies you on your entire translational journey. Would you like to conduct a study or research, but lack the appropriate premises and services? You might want to contact our regulatory experts for support.

Thank you Myriam Tinner and Stefanie Hossmann for your contribution.

Medical device regulatory affairs – a headache for start-ups?

Confronted with the complexity of the regulatory lanscape in the context of medical devices, first doubts could arise when realising an idea into a product,

Regulatory affairs in the context of medical device development refers to the process of ensuring that a medical device complies with all applicable regulations and standards set forth by regulatory authorities. It is a crucial aspect of bringing a medical device to market and maintaining its compliance throughout its lifecycle. For a startup in medical device development, understanding regulatory affairs is essential to navigate the complex landscape of regulations and ensure successful product development and market entry.

Here’s a breakdown of key elements involved:

• Regulatory Framework: What is needed for my medical devices in the target market?
• Classification: What is the classification of my medical device based on the intended use, the risk level and the impact on patient safety? The outcome determines the regulatory requirements and the conformity assessment process for my device
• Conformity Assessment; Identifying the applicable conformity assessment procedures
• Quality Management System (QMS); Implementation of a robust QMS to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (my own or of a legal manufacturer)
• Clinical Trials; Defining if a clinical trial is needed and if so, to which extent
• Usability/Human Factors; Defining the inclusion of the target group into the development
• Regulatory Submissions; Preparing and submitting necessary documentation to regulatory authorities for approval or clearance to market my medical device
• Post-Market Compliance; Maintaining compliance through post-market surveillance activities

The highly experienced team at DCB is entangling the regulatory world for you. Are you looking for a specific answer or for assistance in developing your quality system according to ISO 13485? Or just a recommendation with whom to partner up? DCB’s support is tailormade according to your needs.

Learn more about use here and contact us

Thanks for reading, dear community, and till next time. We’ll be back after the summer break!