Diabetes Research Symposium Sunday March 21st, 2010 at the Fairmont Queen
Elizabeth

MONTREAL, March 18 /CNW Telbec/ - For the second consecutive year in Montreal, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) Diabetes Research Symposium will be opening its doors at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth this Sunday, March 21st, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free and open to all, this event will focus on type 1 (juvenile) diabetes, and aims to inform the general public about JDRF's groundbreaking research progress.

JDRF's Chief Research Advisor, Dr. Terry Delovitch, will give an overview of JDRF-funded research across Canada, with an emphasis on local JDRF-funded researchers, such as the RFX6 gene discovery made by MUHC's Dr. Constantin Polychronakos, the recent breakthrough made by Dr. Sylvie Lesage of Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, which could help prevent type 1 diabetes entirely and the new artificial pancreas project. Dr. Jean-Louis Brazier will brief the audience on diabetes management and natural health products, while Dr. Ciriaco Piccirillo will give an account of the integration of genetics with markers of immune response.

"With the advent of several recent advances in technology and significantly increased funding, JDRF is well-positioned to continue funding world class research in Canada and take even greater strides towards building a bridge to the cure for type 1 diabetes" says Dr. Terry Delovitch, Full Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario).

    
    WHAT:     JDRF's Diabetes Research Symposium

    WHEN:     Sunday March 21st, 2010

    TIME:     1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    LOCATION: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
              900 Rene-Levesque Blvd. West, Montreal

    WHO:      Dr. Terry Delovitch, Ph.D.
              JDRF-funded research progress across Canada and the new
              artificial pancreas project at University of Waterloo
              Full Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
              University of Western Ontario

              Dr. Jean-Louis Brazier, Ph.D.
              Diabetes and natural health products
              Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy
              Université de Montréal

              Dr. Ciriaco Piccirillo, Ph.D.
              Integrating genetics with markers of immune response
              Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
              McGill University
    

The Diabetes Research Symposium is a unique occasion for participants to meet with others living with type 1 diabetes, to engage guest speakers during the Q&A period and receive information from exhibitors. Participants will also be able to obtain their fundraising kits for the TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes, one of JDRF's powerful fundraising events. Dynamix will also be on site to supervise the children's activities.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 diabetes research worldwide. Our mission is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. To stay alive, people with type 1 diabetes must take multiple insulin injections daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump. They must also test their blood sugar by poking their fingers for blood six or more times a day. More than 300,000 Canadians live with type 1 diabetes. For more information, please visit www.jdrf.ca

    
    Dr. Terry Delovitch is available for interviews in English;
    Dr. Ciriaco Piccirillo is available for interviews in English,
    French and Italian
    Dr. Jean-Louis Brazier is available for interviews in French.
    

For further information: and to coordinate an interview with guest speakers: Dominique Quirion, Communications Agent, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), [phone] X 231, Cell: [phone], [email protected]; www.jdrf.ca/symposiums