History
History
Ray Rajotte, May 2015
The Alberta Diabetes Foundation funded the clinical research of Dr. Ray Rajotte for the first 12 years of its existence. Dr. Rajotte pioneered the first-ever islet cell transplant – the biggest breakthrough in diabetes research since the discovery of insulin was made. His work, plus an expanded islet-cell transplant team, and the addition of anti-rejection protocol, ended up becoming the “Edmonton Protocol”, now the international standard of care for islet-cell transplantation.
The Protocol was developed in 2000. After that, the Alberta Diabetes Foundation invested in the capital campaign to build the world-class Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. In 2007 the Li Ka Shing Centre opened and became the home for the prestigious Alberta Diabetes Institute.
Since then, the Foundation has continued to invest in world class research (both Type 1 and Type 2) right here in Alberta. The ADF works in tandem with some of the world’s best Alberta based diabetes researchers and allocates funding where and when it is needed most, ensuring that important diabetes research and projects do not become stalled. We are able to fund projects, even at an early stage, often filling in gaps left by traditional granting organizations.
The researchers in Alberta are confident that a world without diabetes is possible, and today they are doing more than providing sustainable solutions to treating diabetes – our researchers are on their way to a cure.
In 2018 the Alberta Diabetes Foundation celebrated its 30th year of funding diabetes research and will continue to do so until a cure is found.