Chinese scientists reverse woman’s diabetes with stem cells in world-first trial

Chinese scientists have achieved a world-first by successfully treating a 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes using a stem cell transplant derived from her own fat cells.

The minimally invasive procedure involved transforming the fat cells into insulin-producing islet cells and injecting them into her abdomen. Just 75 days after the transplant, the patient no longer needed insulin injections.

The breakthrough, published in the journal Cell in October, marks a significant advancement in stem cell therapy and offers hope for a potential cure for type 1 diabetes. While researchers emphasize the need for further studies, this success paves the way for larger clinical trials and the potential development of cost-effective treatments for this chronic condition.