This World Diabetes Day (14 November) we are celebrating 100 years since the discovery of insulin.
100 years ago, while working in Toronto, Canada, University of Aberdeen graduate JJR Macleod, along with Dr Frederick Banting, Dr Charles Best and Dr James Collip, discovered insulin - a treatment which transformed Type 1 diabetes from a short and almost certain death sentence to a manageable condition.
Mcleod’s legacy has inspired generations of Aberdeen diabetes researchers, including Professor Mirela Delibegovic who leads a research team examining causes of insulin resistance.
His work is also being celebrated on a new 50p coin which has been released by the Royal Mint in celebration of the anniversary. Inspired by an image of human insulin crystals through a microscope, the design by renowned artist Iris De La Torre, features a geometric pattern repeat using hexagons and circular shapes on the canvas of an official UK 50p coin.
If you would like to be part of the next big medical discovery, you can make a donation to the University of Aberdeen Development Trust today. Your gift to the Medical Research Fund will help support researchers looking into cures and treatments for medical conditions including diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, dementia and more
Your donation will:
- Help our dedicated research teams to continue to make groundbreaking new discoveries
- Help to purchase essential equipment and software for researchers like Mirela to undertake their work
- Help to grow our expert team and support postgraduate scholarships which provide opportunities for exceptional talent
- Enable our research teams to share their discoveries with the wider medical community throughout the world
You can get behind the next great medical breakthrough by making a gift to the Medical Research Fund today.
