- Shalini Suresh
1) According to you, do you see this area of research making an impact in the next 4 years?
Ans: An ‘analogue’ is something which is comparable to something else with respect to certain detail. Insulin analogues, as the name suggests, have been specifically designed to closely resemble human insulin that is produced by our body naturally. Therefore, individuals suffering from diabetes mellitus can avail the benefits of these bio-engineered equivalents of insulin to attain the normal physiological functions of insulin release and glucose control.
In recent years, insulin analogues have become an increasingly fascinating topic of research with scientists exploring different possibilities of creating analogues that not only mimic the hormone perfectly but also provide additional health benefits to the patients who are seeking better treatment for a rampant lifestyle disorder such as diabetes. In my opinion, this area of research has immense potential to produce path-breaking results in the coming years.
2) Does the research conducted in this paper relate to another field of study, and if so, how?
Ans: The construction of insulin analogues involves the implementation of some basic principles of genetic engineering to give rise to variations of the hormone that have a different amino acid sequence than that present in human insulin.
However, this research paper does not limit its domain of study to just genetic engineering.
The paper gives us insights on how technology can be employed in multiple dimensions to enhance the quality of medical service being provided to patients. The amalgamation of artificial intelligence and medicine can revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.
The research paper contains a detailed study on an ultra-modern technology called Continuous Subcutaneous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) which provides a detailed record of blood glucose fluctuations in an individual’s body throughout the day. This kind of start-of-art technology makes it easier for medical practitioners to design a more personalized treatment for patients and also helps the patients manage their health condition more effectively in order to avoid any adverse effects.
3) What do you think could be the application of this research in our lives?
Ans: The research paper makes use of several scientific terms which might be difficult to comprehend at the outset but that does not take away from the importance of this research and its widespread advantages. In the past two decades, diabetes has become a very common occurrence.
In 2017 alone, more than 425 million were diabetic and current trends suggest that this number might rise to a staggering 629 million by 2045. As per the statistics of the International Diabetes Federation, in the US alone, 12% of the total expenditure on adults was related to treatment of diabetes.
With diabetes significantly contributing to high rates of mortality especially in the West, it becomes all the more important to come up a with an aggressive treatment which that not only builds on the benefits of the existing form of insulin therapy but is also ideal for long term implementation.
4) What is the main focus of research, and do you think the area of research might have sub research topics that are related to it that can prove to be helpful in the future?
Ans: The main focus of this research is to design an effective glucose control mechanism which can help in preventing the life-threatening complications of diabetes. Over the years, it has been observed that basic lifestyle modifications and prescribed oral medications are not sufficient for diabetic individuals to regulate their blood glucose levels.
The existing medications have proven to be inadequate in the long run. With the backdrop of these concerns, researchers started working towards multi-drug approaches to treat diabetes and minimize its chronic health implications.
While scientists have managed to successfully create analogues which have proved to be more beneficial than human insulin in many aspects, it is also essential to focus on the implementation of these therapies. This is where technology comes into the picture. Modern technologies like the Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) have transformed insulin therapy and have made insulin delivery more convenient and flexible.
The paper also touches upon the use of sensor technologies for the purpose of diabetes management. These are some of the sub-topics in the paper that have tremendous potential to produce some trailblazing results that could modernize health care services and the technology associated with it.
5) How do you think the research will be perceived by the general public? Summarize the paper in a manner that is easy for a person from a non-science background.
Ans: Any kind of research conducted with the intent of enhancing health care services should be welcomed by the people. However, the paper also has many technical terms that might not be understandable to the general public. Nonetheless, the research aims to make the lives of diabetic patients easier and this should be appreciated by the public.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that reduces the body’s capacity to regulate blood sugar values. This can result in high blood glucose levels due to impaired function of the insulin hormone. As mentioned before, diabetes is a life-long condition and its adverse health implications can only be treated periodically but cannot be cured completely.
While insulin therapy has played a significant role in the management of diabetes, the treatment is found to be inadequate from a long-term perspective. Here’s where insulin analogues assert their importance. Several studies have proven that insulin analogues showed a faster onset and offset of insulin effect when compared to human insulin.
Not only is their action long-lasting and more impactful but it also does not have any side-effects. The paper also gives a glimpse into the use of various biosystems which can be utilized to implement this therapy. The paper also has details about new treatments like transplantation of islet of Langerhans (β-cells of islets of Langerhans secrete insulin) and automation of ‘artificial pancreas’ to monitor blood glucose levels in our body.
6) As a future researcher, what do you consider the shortcomings of this research?
Ans: The research covers a number of topics on the science front with a quick glance at the facet of technology. However, the paper does not make any mention of the cost of these technologies. This is important because this research was conducted with the ultimate aim of improving the lives of patients while keeping mind the immense burden on health care services.
When it comes to medical services, affordability becomes a subject of consideration. Some scientists have raised a concern over the high cost of these insulin analogues despite being only a tad better than human insulin while others argue that insulin analogues are in fact cost-effective owing to their positive effect on long-term complications of diabetes and life expectancy. The research would been more wholesome had it touched upon the cost aspect as well.
For more, visit - https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jdr/2010/178372/#introduction
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