Exchange visit to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York
Danish Diabetes Academy Post Doc fellow Zeinab Mahmoudi has just returned from her visit to the lab of Professor B. Wayne Bequette at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York - an exchange visit that she received financial support for from the Danish Diabetes Academy.
A PERFECT MATCH
Zeinab Mahmoudi's experience of the visit to RPI has been very positive. "The academic level of the diabetes research group at RPI is really high. Professor Bequette and his research group are highly knowledgeable, and their expertise is a perfect match for my Post Doc project", Zeinab says.
ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FULLY AUTOMATIC ARTICIFIAL PANCREAS
In collaboration with Dr. Bequette and his research group at RPI, they have developed a smart algorithm that, based on glucose concentration measurements by a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), can detect unannounced food intake and estimate the amount of carbohydrate in meals. This is of importance for an artificial pancreas (AP) for people with type 1 diabetes.
According to Zeinab, this meal detector and estimator is a step towards a fully automatic AP as it enables the AP to automatically - without meal announcements - calculate the optimal insulin dose. In such a system, there is no patient intervention in connection with meals and this removes the stress of calculating the needed amount of insulin based on food intake.
Their aim is to implement this meal detection method in the DIACON project in Denmark. In the DIACON project study advanced mathematical methods for prediction and simulation of the insulin-blood glucose dynamics. "Our aim is to develop methods for the optimized regulation of blood glucose in the presence of food intake, exercise and stress. An important feature being researched in the DIACON project is automated meal announcement strategies. Therefore, the method we have developed in collaboration with RPI is a step forward in the DIACON project", Zeinab states.
AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE
The life at RPI has been an enjoyable experience for her. "The campus is nice and so are the people at RPI, Zeinab continues. "RPI has a beautiful campus, and the student union and the nearby restaurants offer a diverse range of foods for every taste. My favorite activity in my free time in Troy is jogging along the Hudson river in the Mohawk-Hudson bike/hike trail. The trail is a 40-mile path that connects Rotterdam, NY all the way to Albany, the capital of NY State. There are several places in NY State that one should visit, the world-famous NYC is for sure at the top of the list. Niagara Falls is definitely a must-see. I have no word to describe my feeling when I faced the grandeur of nature in Niagara Falls".
Her stay was shortened due to the changed US regulations as Zeinab is Iranian, but Professor Bequette has been helpful to set up weekly meetings with his group in order for Zeinab to have progress in her research during her stay at RPI and give her quick and constructive feedback.
“This process really helps me to move forward in the project as rapid as possible, and I thank the Danish Diabetes Academy for supporting my visit to RPI”, Zeinab sconcludes.