The Spring Point Project announced today that it would be presenting the results of more than $80,000 worth of funding at the Lions Club International 92nd Convention this July.

The Spring Point Project, in partnership with the University of Minnesota, operates “biosecure facilities is raising specially selected high health pigs in compliance with governmental regulations.” These pigs are used to “grow” pancreases and islets (the endocrine tissue within the pancreas that secretes insulin) and transplant them into diabetic patients to help improve their health and diabetes symptoms. SPP has been involved with over 20,000 implants to date.

A few years ago, Wired Magazine published a related article on using embryonic pig insulin cells to correct diabetes. The article was based on an experiment using rats with diabetes. The rats lived the rest of their lives producing insulin on their own (with the help of the implanted pig cells).

The Wired article also mentioned that, prior to the mass production of insulin, people used to inject pig insulin as a means of maintaining their diabetes. This practice is still available to people and sold as “natural” insulin.

The reason why people can use insulin from pigs (and cows) is because it is similar as a protein to that of humans, with two differences: pig insulin differs from human insulin by one amino acid; beef insulin by three. However, this difference can be enough for the immune system to reject it, and some people may not be able to use either method due to religious beliefs.

Are you surprised that pigs can play such a large part in resolving diabetes in some? Would you prefer to use natural (pig) insulin or manufactured insulin?

According to a recent report, more and more young adults between the ages of 20 and 29 are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Researchers speculate that this rise is due to the increase in childhood obesity. Since it takes a while for obesity to result in insulin-resistance and diabetes, it would make sense that children who are obese would see the onset of diabetes in their 20s.

Childhood obesity is a rising epidemic in America. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure that one out. Just walking around your neighborhood, you’ll probably see toddlers, teens and tweens who could stand to lose a few pounds and get into shape. While the parents play a large role in this, many children spend a large portion of their days sitting behind desks at school and day care.

What role do you think educational institutions should play in our children’s health? While many schools are taking soda machines out of their cafeterias and are creating healthy lunch menus, others are cutting physical education. How can we protect our kids from obesity when they are sitting at desks for eight hours a day?

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(photo credit: colros)