Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is a disease which strikes children suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump. Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1 billion to diabetes research, including more than $122 million in FY2006. In FY2006, the Foundation funded 500 centers, grants and fellowships in 20 countries.

History
The JDRF was founded in 1970, St. Louis, Missouri by the Webbe and Zinzilmeyer families that laid the groundwork and vision for the organization. These parents were concerned there were no single organization focused on a cure and the severe complications of juvenile diabetes were not being discussed by the medical community. Originally the JDRF was an all volunteer organization. Micki Kronowitt was elected president during the first year and the first executive director was Bob Kronowitt (1970-77). As the first salaried employee, Mr. Kronowitt mandated 90% of the money raised would be directed for a cure. In the early years the JDRF identified a small program at the University of Miami School of Medicine headed by Dr. Daniel Mintz.

Fundraising
JDRF's largest fundraising event is the nationally known Walk to Cure Diabetes.... Events are held across the country to raise awareness about type 1 diabetes and raise money to be put towards research. They also host galas, Rides to Cure Diabetes for bicycle enthusiasts, and golf events. JDRF also accepts donations via mail or their website: www.jdrf.org.

Research
Currently, the organization has five therapeutic research targets:

Control: Treatments that continually monitor the body's blood sugar levels and automatically respond with the correct dose of insulin would significantly enhance metabolic control. JDRF research is focused on demonstrating that advanced monitoring tools improves the health of people with diabetes, and on developing technologies that link insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors. Such a "closed loop" system would, in effect, be an artificial pancreas.

Regeneration: Among the fastest-growing scientific areas JDRF supports is research aimed at regenerating insulin producing cells in people who have diabetes (as opposed to transplanting cells from organ donors or other sources). This involves triggering the body to grow its own new insulin producing cells, either by copying existing ones - some are usually still active, even in people who have had diabetes for decades - or causing the pancreas to create new ones.

Replacement: An alternative to sparking the body into growing new insulin-producing cells is replacing cells killed off by diabetes with functioning ones from a donor - similar to a heart or kidney transplant. Beyond improving transplantation techniques, our research is focused on increasing the supply of cells that can be transplanted - from animals, like pigs, or by finding ways to change different types of cells, such as liver cells, or coaxing adult or embryonic stem cells into becoming insulin-producing cells.

Autoimmunity: A key part of JDRF's research is aimed at stopping or reversing the immune system response that causes diabetes: the attack on insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas. This attack must be stopped so that any therapies involving replacing or regenerating insulin-producing cells can work long-term.

Complications: A key part of JDRF's research is aimed at stopping or reversing the immune system response that causes diabetes: the attack on insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas. This attack must be stopped so that any therapies involving replacing or regenerating insulin-producing cells can work long-term.

Location
The JDRF is headquartered in New York, at 120 Wall Street. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. Its international spokesperson is Mary Tyler Moore.