Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute
Our world-leading diabetes research center is named the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute in honor of our longtime director and research pioneer.
The Riggs Institute is one of the world's foremost scientific organizations dedicated to investigating the biology of diabetes and its treatment — drawing from more than four decades of intense investigation since Rachmiel Levine, M.D., who discovered the role of insulin in glucose transport, launched diabetes research at City of Hope, including Samuel Rahbar's discovery of HbA1C in diabetes patients. It houses seven departments, including The Wanek Family Project for Type 1 Diabetes, and continues Riggs’ work under its director, Debbie C. Thurmond, Ph.D., the Ruth B. & Robert K. Lanman Chair in Gene Regulation & Drug Discovery Research.
The institute's primary goals include:
- Discovering new biomarkers to identify those at risk for developing diabetes and its complications
- Developing drugs that precisely target the receptor molecules responsible for diabetes
- Developing new immune therapies to rebalance the immune system and halt or reverse type 1 diabetes
- Reviving and/or replacing the cells that make insulin
- Studying the relationships between diabetes and cancer
As one of its former leaders, Arthur D. Riggs, Ph.D., contributed groundbreaking discoveries, such as developing the technology that led to the first synthetic human insulin — a breakthrough that enabled mass production of insulin for people with diabetes. That discovery enabled the the launch of a $500 billion global biotech industry and was followed by numerous firsts in the field of biomedical science.
Through a private partnership and significant commitment of institutional funds, we have brought together collaborative research teams, appointed world-renowned leaders and recruited top talent from around the world — and this is just the beginning.
Clinical trials are designed to test the safety and/or effectiveness of promising new treatments that are not yet approved. Other studies gather information, such as questionnaires or blood samples, to help develop future treatment advances.
City of Hope has one of the most influential diabetes research programs in the world. Our scientists’ work has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of the disease and continues today with exciting developments in cell transplantation, gene regulation, immune tolerance and gaining systemic understanding of diabetes as a complex, multifaceted disease.
The heart of City of Hope’s prolific diabetes program is its people. Hear from the leaders of the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute — brilliant minds who are shaping the way we understand and treat the disease.
Join one of our institutes and help us on our mission to save lives.
- Qureshi, F. M., Panzer, J. K., Põder, J., Malek, T. R., & Caicedo, A. (2023). Immunotherapy With Low-Dose IL-2/CD25 Prevents β-Cell Dysfunction and Dysglycemia in Prediabetic NOD Mice. Diabetes, 72(6), 769–780.
- JDRF — Three-year grant, $900,000
Sequential multi-molecule release from nanofiber scaffolds for improved stem cell-derived islet transplantation under the skin
Co-investigators: Hirotake Komatsu, M.D., Ph.D., City of Hope, Andrew J. Steckl, Ph.D., NanoLab, University of Cincinnati, and Eiji Yoshihara Ph.D., The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor UCLA Medical Center - JDRF — Three-year grant, $750,000
Clinical trial of denosumab for type 1 diabetes
Principal investigators: Rupangi Vasavada, Ph.D., and Fouad Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-investigator: Nagesha Guthalu Kondegowda, Ph.D.
Project manager: Jeannette Hacker