What the project set out to test
In type 1 diabetes, the body loses much of its ability to make insulin. Replacing insulin-producing pancreatic islets is one research approach. One constraint is that transplanted cells can trigger immune responses. Another is that donated cells are a limited resource. BIOSID examined a device designed to protect implanted cells while keeping them connected to the body’s supply of oxygen and nutrients.
How the device concept worked
The MAILPAN concept enclosed insulin-producing cells within a membrane. Glucose would have to reach the cells, and the insulin they release would have to leave the device. At the same time, the membrane was intended to reduce exposure to parts of the immune response. The balance between transport and protection was a central engineering and biological question.
What the research reported
The consortium investigated oxygen availability, cell survival and function, and the response to the device in preclinical studies. The final report discusses the limitations of enclosed cells and describes steps toward future clinical evaluation. The public BIOSID record describes a prototype research programme. Evidence of market authorization or routine clinical use would require separate, current records.
See the consortium participants and publications and reports for the institutions and evidence behind this work.