Fewer finger pokes and injections for those with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Fewer dangerous highs and lows. More affordable insulin. A future where cures are a matter of when, not if.

Our VB Gives Back partner, Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), has helped make all of the above possible. As the leading T1D research and advocacy organization, the nonprofit connects the world's top scientists to help advance potential treatments, influence policy and improve access to care. No organization does more. Just last year, for example, the FDA approved a drug shown to delay onset of T1D for up to three years; it's the first-ever disease-modifying therapy for T1D, and Breakthrough T1D supported research into that drug for over 30 years.

And that's just the beginning.

Here, meet two women driving progress in that brain trust: Drs. Felicia Pagliuca and Courtney Ackeifi. The latter is a Senior Scientist at Breakthrough T1D who entered the field for personal reasons—her grandmother had diabetes. The former, meanwhile, is Vice President and Disease Area Executive for T1D at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which researches cell therapies with the potential to treat the condition. "I have always loved to learn and loved a hard problem to solve," says Pagliuca. "It is a gift to be able to spend one’s career doing such meaningful work."

Tell us about yourself and your connection to T1D...

CA: My grandmother passed away due to diabetic complications. With diabetes, there’s never a break, and accidents can be deadly. I want to, at the very least, make T1D a bit easier.

FP: I have dedicated most of my career to studying how cells, the building blocks of the human body, can be harnessed to potentially develop medicines. My work in T1D began almost 15 years ago during my postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Stem Cell Institute, when I was inspired to work on T1D by Dr. Doug Melton. In his lab, we focused on researching whether stem cells could be differentiated (or converted) into pancreatic islet cells. Dr. Melton and I later founded a company called Semma Therapeutics, named for Doug’s two children—Sam and Emma—who both live with T1D. In 2019, Semma Therapeutics was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, with the goal of accelerating our work to develop potential T1D therapies.

What are you currently working on?

CA: My team at Breakthrough T1D is focused on improving the lives of people with established T1D. We work to develop drugs and devices for glucometabolic control and long-term complications and to develop behavioral interventions to support the mental-health burden of the disease. Breakthrough T1D has driven so much progress when it comes to glucose-control outcomes, but we still have more work to do to help ensure that people with T1D live longer and healthier lives!

FP: As Disease Area Executive at Vertex, I lead a diverse team of scientists and other experts who are working to advance our investigational T1D therapies from research and discovery through manufacturing and clinical trials and, hopefully one day, to approved new medicines. It means so much to me to be able to continue to relentlessly advance this work and to partner with the broader T1D community. Breakthrough T1D has been a leader in supporting and advocating for this type of research from the very beginning.

What are you most optimistic about right now?

CA: As a scientist, the T1D field is so exciting because there are so many different disciplines that can come together. Prior to Breakthrough T1D, I was a T1D researcher developing regenerative medicines. Our team brought together medicinal chemists, structural biologists, informaticists, stem-cell biologists, surgeons, and pharmacologists. So many different perspectives zeroing in on one problem allowed us to be creative and comprehensive in our approach to building these therapies. Technologies that didn’t exist a few years ago are entering the clinic! High-risk innovation can be mitigated when you pull together teams that tackle things from all angles. That’s how you accelerate development.

FP: I’m very excited about the progress being made globally in treating T1D. Of course, the potential for cellular therapies and the research we’re doing at Vertex are top of mind, but recent years have also brought progress in technological innovation, prevention/delay, and enthusiasm that the science is advancing. My hope is that the future of T1D will look very different than the past.

Is there one particular study you're excited about?

CA: The Steno1 trial in Copenhagen. This study personalizes T1D care based on an individual’s risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Support from Breakthrough T1D will add deeper exploration of the links between glycemic outcomes and macrovascular or microvascular complications.

FP: At Vertex, we are studying multiple cell-therapy approaches to potentially treat T1D by aiming to replace the insulin-producing cells that have been destroyed in the disease with new stem-cell-derived cells.

Words of wisdom for women pursuing a career in science or research?

CA: Collaborate. Learn from everyone you meet. Be known for your ability to be a translator of ideas between groups. Be a cross-pollinator—that’s how creative ideas become tangible change.

FP: Be fearless and focus on applying your skills and time to the most important problems, not necessarily the easiest ones.

From now to the end of September, VB Gives Back commits to raising $250,000 for Breakthrough T1D through consumer donations, in-store give-back events, and $5 from every online order to elevate awareness and support for Type 1 diabetes research, advocacy and community engagement. Learn more here.

If you want to learn more about T1D and Breakthrough T1D’s mission you can visit their website at BreakthroughT1D.org.