Daniel Espes

SciLifeLab Fellow, Uppsala University

Key publications

[11C]5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan PET for Assessment of Islet Mass During Progression of Type 2 Diabetes
Carlbom L*, Espes D*, Lubberink M, Martinell M, Johansson L, Ahlström H, Carlsson PO, Korsgren O, Eriksson O.
Diabetes, 2017 Feb 28, doi: 10.2337/db16-1449

Increased interleukin-35 levels in type 1 diabetes patients with remaining C-peptide
Espes D*, Singh K*, Sandler S and Carlsson PO.
Diabetes Care, 2017 Aug;40(8):1090-1095. doi: 10.2337/dc16-2121.

Transplantation of Macro-encapsulated Human Islets within the Bioartificial Pancreas Beta-Air to Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Carlsson PO*, Espes D*, Sedigh A, Rotem A, Zimermann B, Grinberg H, Goldman T, Barkai U, Avni Y, , Westermark G.T, Carlbom L, Ahlström H, Eriksson O, Olerud J and Korsgren O
Am J Transplant. 2018 Jul;18(7):1735-1744. doi: 10.1111/ajt.14642. Epub 2018 Feb 2.

Metabolically Active Brown Adipose Tissue Is Found in Adult Subjects with Type 1 Diabetes
Eriksson O, Selwaraju RK, Berglund M and Espes D
Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Nov 20;20(23). pii: E5827. doi: 10.3390/ijms20235827.

Longitudinal Assessment of 11 C-5-Hydroxytryptophan Uptake in Pancreas After Debut of Type 1 Diabetes
Espes D, Carlsson PO, Selvaraju RK , Rosestedt M, Cheung P, Ahlström H, Korsgren O and Eriksson O
Diabetes 2021 Apr;70(4):966-975. doi: 10.2337/db20-0776. Epub 2021 Jan 21.

Daniel Espes

M.D., PhD, Uppsala University

Research Interests

Type 1 diabetes is the most common chronic disease among children and adolescents and due to the long-term complications associated with the disease it decreases life-expectancy by more than 10 years. Type 1 diabetes develops due to progressive loss of the insulin producing beta-cells following an immune attack. However, the underlying trigger for the immune system is still unknown. At onset of hyperglycemia 60-70% of the beta-cell mass have already been lost, based on autopsy studies. Currently there are no clinically validated techniques for evaluating beta-cell mass in vivo and hence our understanding of how beta-cell mass is altered in health and disease is limited to what we have learned based on autopsy studies. By using radioactively labeled positron emission tomography (PET) tracers specific for beta-cells it would be possible to determine the beta-cell mass in vivo. PET is a highly sensitive, quantitative and non-observer dependent medical imaging technique in which radiolabeled molecules are used for tracking biological processes and receptors. My group is focused on the development of novel clinically applicable techniques for assessing beta-call mass and methods that non-invasively can image and quantify the immune response within the human pancreas during the development of diabetes.

We also aim to identify mechanisms involved in beta-cell destruction and novel drugs/substances with the potential to increase the proliferation of beta-cells in order to establish regenerative therapies for type 1 diabetes. For that purpose, we apply both experimental in vitro and in vivo techniques in order to study beta-cell physiology.

Group members

  • Teresa Pereira, PhD. – Senior Researcher
  • Faïza Maloum-Rami, PhD. – Research Engineer
  • Henrik Hill, M.D. – PhD-candidate
  • Ebrahim Anvari, M.D. – PhD-candidate
  • Nathalia Guarienti Missima, M.D. PhD. – Post doc
  • Daniel Norman, M.D. – PhD-candidate (co-supervisor)
  • Anja Brboric, M.D. – PhD-candidate (co-supervisor)
  • Ragna Reinhammar – PhD-candidate (co-supervisor)
  • Casian-Simon Aioanei, M.D. – Master student
  • Jasmine Lugnet – Undergraduate student

Contact

daniel.espes@mcb.uu.se

Last updated: 2023-04-03

Content Responsible: David Gotthold(david.gotthold@scilifelab.se)