Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

John G. Rangos - Massimo Trucco Diabetes Center

The John G. Rangos -Massimo M. Trucco Diabetes Research Center was established with a generous $3 million gift to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh given by the Rangos Family Charitable Foundation. Dedicated on October 17, 2000 and located inside the Rangos Research Center, the state-of- the art lab is directed by Dr. Trucco, the Director of the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Dr. Trucco, along with other scientists and medical professionals, utilize the lab as a local resource in their pursuit of a cure for Type 1 diabetes, commonly referred to as juvenile diabetes.

Groundbreaking clinical trial approved by FDA

Working in the center, Massimo M. Trucco, MD and Nick Giannoukakis, PhD, have developed an innovative treatment for Type 1 diabetes that has proven successful in trials performed with mice. The strategy is to prevent the patient's immune system from attacking the beta cells of the pancreas, cells that are necessary to the natural production of insulin. The method is to use specific molecule blockers synthesized in the laboratory to modify the patient's own dendritic cells. These modified cells are reinjected near the pancreas and, in the mice models, succeeded in interrupting the immune system's attack on the beta cells. This allowed the beta cells to regenerate and the pancreas to again produce insulin. The treatment recently received FDA approval to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the treatment plan in humans. The trial is currently underway involving 15 patients over the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. This is a major accomplishment in the study of the disease. Juvenile diabetes affects one million people in this country alone. Successful trials could result in identifying infants at risk for developing the disease and alleviating children from any symptoms before they manifest. Trucco has dedicated his life’s work to finding a cure for diabetes. He receives international recognition for his pioneering studies in immunogenetics.

Massimo Trucco, MD, Director
Chief, division of immunogenetics at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Thomas E. Starzl, MD, Ph.D., Co-director
Professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Joseph Glorioso, Ph.D., Co-director
Professor and chairman of the department of molecular genetics and biochemistry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine