UMass Diabetes Center of Excellence

10/07/2025

Cheryl Barry, RN, CDCES (left), the Diabetes Education Manager at UMass Memorial Health, participated in the first Barton Center for Diabetes Education, Inc family information session Friday evening. Others in attendance included a school nurse and parents of children with T1D.

Friday night we held our first parent session! Below are our guest speakers- seasoned parents, school nurse, and staff from UMASS! What a great informational night. Consider joining us for our next parent session on super foods on Nov. 8th!

10/03/2025

At yesterday’s Breakthrough T1D Beta Cell Replacement Consortium virtual meeting, Jessica Spinelli, PhD, presented data from her laboratory about how the “power plants” of our cells, mitochondria, affect islet transplantation therapies. Mitochondria are hubs of energy in cells. The Spinelli lab is studying the electron transport chain, a process within mitochondria that allows cells to harness this energy. When this process falters, it can create stress signals that weaken insulin-producing beta cells.

Nicolai Hathiramani, a PhD candidate in the Spinelli lab, who has been living with since childhood, is leading the project to understand why transplanted beta cells often struggle to survive. By mapping how behave under stress, he is uncovering novel ways to maintain the health, resilience, and functionality of transplanted cells.

Learn about the collaborative T1D research taking place in the BT1D Barbara Dewey Cammett Center of Excellence in New England, led by Dr. David Harlan, at: https://www.umassmed.edu/dcoe/diabetes-research/breakthrough-t1d-new-england-research/

10/02/2025

Dr. David Harlan returned to the Breakthrough T1D Headquarters to participate in another meeting of the Delphi panel of worldwide experts who are developing strategic plans for stem cell-based pancreatic islet cell replacement therapies.

The group includes diabetes researchers from academic institutions, industry, and a T1D patient.

The Diabetes Center of Excellence at UMass Chan Medical School and the Breakthrough T1D Center of Excellence in New England, led by Dr. Harlan, is focused on engineering stem cell-derived islets to develop a cell replacement therapy that will evade the immune system and provide insulin independence for people with type 1 diabetes, without the need for toxic immunosuppressant drugs.

10/02/2025

Our Diabetes Education program is an American Diabetes Association Education Recognized Program, meeting the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. This recognition assures patients, families, healthcare providers, and insurers that the program delivers evidence-based, comprehensive, and effective .

Educators met this week to review the past year and set goals for the year ahead. Priorities include further tailoring education to each individual’s needs, expanding digital tools, and maintaining a continued focus on the nine ADA-recommended core topics, ranging from nutrition and exercise to stress management and emotional support, to empower our patients and their families.

Over the past year, the DCOE’s team of diabetes educators, led by Cheryl Barry, RN, CDCES, worked with more than 4,000 unique adults and children at the UMass Memorial Medical Center, HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, Tri-River Family Health Center in Uxbridge, and Worcester’s UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center. This marked a steady increase in patient engagement compared to the previous year. Program data show improvements in key health outcomes, including nearly 2% reductions in average A1c levels. Many patients also reported adopting healthier eating habits, increased physical activity, and improved medication management, all of which are directly linked to reducing the risk of serious diabetes-related health complications. By addressing barriers such as language and cultural differences, and by offering both in-person and remote education, the education team is expanding equitable access.

09/28/2025

We are extremely grateful for the continued support of the Joe "Nuzzy" Nozzolillo Memorial Foundation Inc. Thank you for helping our shared mission in Joe's memory.

09/25/2025

Mai Ceesay, a PhD candidate in the research laboratories of Tammy Nguyen, MD, PhD & Silvia Corvera, MD, is investigating how fat in our bones may impact the immune system as we age.

She presented her findings at the Bone Marrow Adiposity Society’s virtual Summer School, comparing different types of bone marrow and fat tissue collected from patients who had lower limb amputations. Mai developed a co-culture system that mimics fat-rich marrow, allowing for the direct observation of how it influences blood cell development.

Her system found that fat within bone marrow isn’t just a bystander. It may actively shape how the immune system works, potentially driving inflammation that worsens with age. This discovery could help explain why people with , , or other conditions often experience chronic, low-grade inflammation.

The team hopes to identify specific signals released by fat cells in bone marrow that drive this inflammatory process. Unlocking these clues could eventually lead to slowing or preventing immune aging and potentially developing new therapies, thereby improving health for individuals living with diabetes and other age-related conditions.

UMass Chan Medical School

09/24/2025

After 35 years devoted to diabetes care, including nearly 15 at UMass Memorial, endocrinologist Dr. Leslie Domalik is retiring. The Dean has appointed her as a Distinguished Assistant Professor in recognition of her dedicated service to UMass Chan Medical School.

Dr. Domalik joined UMass in 2010, recruited by Dr. David Harlan to launch the then-new Blood Glucose Management Service (BGMS), modeled after a program at Duke University Hospital. She and Dr. Harlan trained together as endocrinology and diabetes fellows at Duke in the early 1990s and shared a vision of what the new specialty service should be and how many people it would help.

As Medical Director of Inpatient Diabetes Services, Dr. Domalik has personally seen up to 30 patients in a single day and led a team of endocrinology fellows and nurse practitioners in efforts to improve glucose control for hospitalized patients at both of UMass Memorial’s Worcester campuses. Care provided by the BGMS includes consults with primary providers and nurses on diabetes-related issues, supporting patients using insulin pumps during hospital stays, establishing insulin regimens for those on concentrated insulins, treating uncontrolled blood sugars and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) & providing education to newly diagnosed patients and families, giving them essential “survival skills” before discharge.

Dr. Domalik’s expertise and dedication have elevated inpatient diabetes care throughout UMass Memorial. Colleagues and patients will miss her insight, warmth, and unwavering commitment.

“Leslie has always done much more than has been asked or expected of her,” said Dr. Samir Malkani, Clinical Chief for the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. “It is rare to find a physician as selfless and dedicated as her. She has been a role model to the many fellows who trained with her.”

Her last day will be September 30. Please join us in congratulating Leslie on a well-earned retirement!

09/22/2025

The annual UMass Memorial Teddy Bear Clinic invited children bring their stuffed animals or dolls for a “checkup” to learn about health & safety in a fun environment. Diabetes Nurse Educator Lindsay, Social Worker Kayla (who both have T1D) and Child Life Specialist Keri, focused on recognizing early warning signs of diabetes, and the Kids Comfort Promise in diabetes care. They used Buzzy and placed CGMs on the stuffed animals, explaining how Buzzy, a small vibrating tool, distracts the brain with another sensation so the child doesn’t feel the needle poke as much.

09/09/2025

Cheryl Barry, RN, CDCES, the UMass Memorial Diabetes Education Manager, will be in attendance at the October 3rd Barton Center for Diabetes Education, Inc session to answer questions and participate in the discussions with parents & caregivers of children with T1D.

💙 We’re excited to share that starting in October we’ll be hosting a new series of monthly parent sessions!

Our first session is right around the corner, and we’d love for you to join us. Please take a moment to register so we know how many to expect.
Have questions? We’re always here—just email us at info@bartoncenter.org.

Link to register: https://cwngui.campwise.com/Apps/OnlineReg/Pages/Login.html

09/05/2025

Accalia Fu, PhD, describes her work as an “obsession with molecular metabolism,” adding, “metabolites and metabolism are not just passive pathways but play an active and critical role in determining cell processes."

This week, Dr. Fu presented her research to trainees in the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN), a collection of scientists from across the United States working to gain a deeper understanding of diabetes at the cellular level. Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), HIRN supports innovative projects, such as Dr. Fu’s, as well as the UMass Chan Medical School DCOE laboratories of Drs. David Harlan, Michael Brehm, and Dale Greiner.

The Fu lab is focused on understanding how metabolism influences the health and survival of insulin-producing beta cells, and how this knowledge may ultimately lead to new treatment strategies.

Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions that occur within cells, which enable them to remain alive and function properly. In beta cells, these processes are directly tied to the cells' ability to sense glucose and release insulin. Dr. Fu emphasized that metabolites—small molecules created during metabolism—aren’t just byproducts. They actively control how cells respond to stress and change.

Her earlier research uncovered a unique metabolic “shunt,” or re-routing, that connects carbon and nitrogen metabolism in beta cells. This pathway becomes especially important under inflammatory stress, a condition that is common in diabetes. Such discoveries hint at protective mechanisms that could one day be harnessed to preserve beta cells in diabetes.

Dr. Fu’s current research investigates how glucose affects beta cells over extended periods of time. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes involve shrinking numbers of beta cells, though for different reasons. She’s investigating how mitochondrial function (the cell’s energy engine) influences inflammation—an essential piece of the puzzle since excess inflammation worsens complications.

Her lab also studies how beta cells and immune cells, especially macrophages, communicate with each other. Macrophages are immune cells that can either protect tissues or contribute to their destruction. By mapping their metabolic preferences in diabetic environments, Dr. Fu hopes to identify new therapeutic targets that can mitigate harmful immune responses.

08/26/2025

Sarah was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at six years old. Today, she is a nurse practitioner on the UMass Memorial diabetes care team. Her first NP became her hero and role model, and Sarah decided at age six that she wanted to be a nurse practitioner when she grew up. Read about her inspirational journey!

Sarah was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at six years old. Today, she is a nurse practitioner on the UMass Memorial diabetes care team. Learn about her inspirational journey.