(Press-News.org) For people living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), keeping blood sugar levels in check is a constant challenge. A new clinical trial at UVA is aiming to simplify diabetes management by testing an innovative AI-powered device designed to improve automated insulin delivery.
The trial is co-led by several School of Data Science faculty, including Assistant Professor of Data Science Heman Shakeri; Boris Kovatchev, founding director of the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology, a professor at the School of Medicine and professor of data science (by courtesy); and Anas El Fathi, research assistant professor at the Center for Diabetes Technology and assistant professor of data science (by courtesy).
Thanks to recent FDA approval, researchers are set to assess this breakthrough technology. The trial, kicking off in March, will evaluate a new reinforcement-learning feature called the “Bolus Priming System with Reinforcement Learning” (BPS_RL). Assisting with the fine-tuning of the BPS_RL was postdoctoral researcher Ali Tavasoli, who also generated the computer simulation that helped lead to the FDA approval.
The fully automated BPS_RL technology integrates with the existing Automated Insulin Delivery Adaptive NETwork (AIDANET) — a system comprising a phone app, Dexcom glucose monitor, and Tandem insulin pump — to enable insulin delivery without requiring user input.
The goal? To see if this new feature can help people maintain better blood sugar control, particularly during meals and overnight, while maintaining health safety and improving ease of use.
Addressing the Challenges of T1D
For many with T1D, keeping blood sugar levels stable is an ongoing struggle. Insulin needs can change due to meals, activity levels, stress, and other factors, making it difficult to dose accurately. AID systems require user input, and they can be costly and difficult to access. UVA’s new study hopes to tackle these issues by developing a smarter, more adaptive system that is not only effective but also practical and affordable.
How It Works
Over the course of three weeks, 16 adult participants with experience using an AID system will test the enhanced technology.
Week 1: Participants use the standard AIDANET system at home to establish a baseline.
Week 2: Participants stay at a supervised testing location, using both the standard and updated systems for 18-hour sessions each.
Week 3: Participants return home and use the enhanced system under remote monitoring.
The study will compare how well blood sugar levels are maintained with and without the AI-powered upgrade. Half of the participants will start with the current system before switching to the new one, and the other half will do the reverse.
A New Era of Diabetes Care
“This trial isn’t just about advancing technology — it’s a bold step toward transforming diabetes care and uplifting lives,” said Shakeri. “We are committed to creating a fully automated, intelligent insulin delivery system that redefines diabetes management, making treatment simpler, more reliable, and entirely effortless for patients.”
Beyond improving blood sugar control, researchers hope that advancements like BPS_RL will help reduce the mental and financial burden of diabetes management. By making insulin delivery systems more adaptive, precise, and cost-effective, UVA is paving the way for a future where diabetes care is more efficient and equitable for all.
For more information about the trial, please contact Madison Maloney at mgm3t@uvahealth.org.
END
New UVA clinical trial explores AI-powered insulin delivery for better diabetes care
Researchers are testing an innovative AI-powered device designed to improve automated insulin delivery
2025-02-11
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New technology could quash QR code phishing attacks
2025-02-11
The ubiquitous QR (“quick response”) codes that appear on everything from parking pay stations to soda cans and promotional flyers have become an increasingly popular target for cybercriminals to exploit through QR code–based phishing attacks, also known as “quishing.” Bad actors will place phony QR codes that direct smartphone users to enter their sensitive private information in fake websites masquerading as bank websites, parking enforcement offices, or other seemingly ...
Study reveals direct gut-brain communication via vagus nerve
2025-02-11
A new study in an animal model provides direct evidence for the role of the vagus nerve in gut microbiome-brain communication, addressing a critical gap in the field.
The research, led by Kelly G. Jameson while a PhD student in the Hsiao Lab at UCLA, demonstrates a clear causal relationship between gut microbiota and vagal nerve activity.
While the vagus nerve has long been thought to facilitate communication between the gut microbiome—the community of microorganisms living in the intestines—and the brain, direct evidence for this process ...
MSU expert: Using light to hear biology
2025-02-11
Images
Elad Harel is used to shining a light on the mysteries of the natural world.
Working at the cutting-edge of ultrafast spectroscopy — the application of short laser pulses to analyze the dynamics of molecules — the Michigan State University associate professor’s research aims to reveal how microscopic phenomena impact large complex systems.
One promising frontier Harel has been working on is the development of new methods of microscopy that will allow researchers to observe molecular and atomic landscapes in motion rather than through static imagery. Such work has earned Harel MSU’s 2023 ...
“I can’t hear you, I’m too stressed”: Repeated stress in mice reduces sound perception
2025-02-11
After a week of stress, mice show changes in how their brains process sound, reducing how well they perceive loud noises, according to a study published February 11th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology led by Ghattas Bisharat, from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, and colleagues.
Repeated stress has negative impacts on mental health that can go beyond psychiatric disorders. They can also cause changes in how we perceive the world, making us jump at loud noises, or become easily irritated by scratchy sweaters or offensive odors. To understand how repeated stress can impact how the brain processes sensory information, the authors ...
Chronic stress affects how brain processes sound in mice
2025-02-11
BEER-SHEVA, Israel, February 11, 2025 – Chronic stress changes the way our brain processes sounds, according to new research conducted on mice at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. For instance, sounds need to be louder during chronic stress to trigger similar responses.
Chronic stress is known to impact learning and decision-making, but could it also affect how we hear? Dr. Jennifer Resnik from Ben-Gurion University’s Department of Life Sciences set out to find whether stress influences basic brain functions, ...
Insilico Medicine announces developmental candidate benchmarks and timelines for novel therapeutics discovered using generative AI
2025-02-11
Cambridge, MA – Insilico Medicine ( “Insilico”) , a clinical stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biotechnology company today announced a set of preclinical drug discovery benchmarks from the 22 developmental candidate nominations achieved by its platform from 2021 to 2024. These benchmarks underscore the platform's efficiency and represent a potential new standard for the drug discovery industry by significantly reducing developmental times, cost, and by allowing resources to be redirected toward further ...
A wealth of evidence: PIK compiles 85,000 individual studies about climate policy
2025-02-11
“Rather than directly providing answers to questions about the effects of climate policies, this study displays an overview of what has actually been scientifically studied so far,” explains Max Callaghan, PIK researcher and lead author of the study. “On the one hand, this informs existing gaps and thus directions for primary research, including through funding. On the other hand, this overview facilitates evidence synthesis work, i.e. the summarisation of the state of knowledge for governments, for example in the IPCC Assessment Reports.”
The study shows, among other ...
New fish species with ‘face paint’ named after Studio Ghibli character
2025-02-11
Researchers in China have named a newly discovered fish species after the Studio Ghibli character San from Princess Mononoke based on its similar facial markings.
Published in the open-access journal ZooKeys, Branchiostegus sanae is a deepwater tilefish belonging to the family Branchiostegidae. It was discovered when scientists noticed unique cheek pattern on some deepwater tilefish individuals in online seafood markets.
The research team used genetic analysis to confirm the new-species status of the fish, and were inspired by its facial stripes to name it after the female protagonist, San, from Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film Princess Mononoke, choosing “sanae” ...
Mechanical heart valve replacements have better long-term survival, study finds
2025-02-11
Patients aged between 50 to 70 years with a mechanical heart valve replacement had better long-term survival compared to those with a biological valve, new research led by the University of Bristol has found. The study is published in the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.
The last two decades have seen an increase in the use of biological over mechanical heart valve replacements. However, while short-term clinical outcomes are known to be the same, long-term outcomes are still under debate.
Existing guidelines support the use of mechanical valves made of synthetic ...
Sandra Diaz and Eduardo Brondízio, scholars of human-nature interconnection, win the 2025 Tyler Prize with call for policies, business models and individuals to recognize humanity’s 'entanglement' wit
2025-02-11
FEBRUARY 11, 2025 – Argentine ecologist Sandra Díaz and Brazilian-American anthropologist Eduardo Brondízio are being awarded the 2025 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for their extraordinary work linking biodiversity to humankind, the Tyler Prize Executive Committee announced today.
Díaz and Brondízio are using the win to draw attention to humanity’s “entanglement” with nature in a joint call for policies, business models, and individuals to acknowledge their dependence and shared responsibility in the “fabric of life.”
“The ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Getting hit by lightning is good for some tropical trees
Soldiers can cope with killing
Quantum Leap: NIST selects FAU for new generation of encryption standards
City of Hope-led study demystifies tumor formation’s two-step process — a foundational understanding needed to prevent cancer
We are vastly overestimating the amount of fresh water available for lithium mining, new study finds
If native plants are going to survive climate change, they need our help to move—here’s how to do it safely
Blue pigment improves foundation makeup shades for dark skin
A safe nuclear battery that could last a lifetime
Making sturdy, semi-transparent wood with cheap, natural materials
Adulting is hard on the heart: Teen to young adulthood is a critical time to address risk
Study shows link between the start of the working day and time preferences
Scientists discovered chemical oscillations in palladium nanoparticles, paving the way for recycling precious metal catalysts
Tadpoles try to flee dangerous virus in their pond by growing much faster than normal
Build it and they shall come
How elephants plan their journeys: New study reveals energy-saving strategies
New study challenges the ‘monogamy-superiority myth’, as non-monogamous people report just as happy relationships and sex lives
Government of Guyana, Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation announce five-year extension of national healthcare initiative.
Preclinical study: after heart attack, a boost in anti-inflammatory cells promoted healing
Glucose revealed as a master regulator of tissue regeneration in Stanford Medicine study
Open-label placebo appears to reduce premenstrual symptoms, study suggests
New mums advised to do two hours of moderate to vigorous exercise a week
Milk as Medicine: New Study Shows Breast Milk Transforms Challenges into Triumphs
CU Cancer Center researchers identify the ‘switch’ that allows intestinal cells to regenerate after injury
Special issue of Academic Emergency Medicine explores the science of errors in emergency care
Organoid fusions as models to study meninges-brain signaling
A multimodal light manipulator
OU researcher leverages technology for alcohol disorder interventions in primary care
Automated lead nurturing boosts sales—but only under the right conditions
Lessons from Venezuela’s democratic collapse: How opposition movements can defy autocratic leaders
USU ecologists document Utah's bee species and say beehive state is rich in bee diversity
[Press-News.org] New UVA clinical trial explores AI-powered insulin delivery for better diabetes careResearchers are testing an innovative AI-powered device designed to improve automated insulin delivery