Diabetes arises when insulin production or its action in the body is impaired. In this context, the beta cells of the pancreas play a central role. How exactly these cells function, how they adapt to changing demands—and why they fail in type 1 diabetes—are among the central questions of modern diabetes research.
This is where the work of Prof. Dr. Michele Solimena begins. For decades, the cell biologist has been investigating the fundamental mechanisms of insulin production, storage, and secretion. His goal: to understand the biological processes in beta cells so precisely that new approaches for prevention and therapy become possible.
Pioneering work at the smallest units of insulin production
At the center of Solimena’s research are the insulin-secretory granules—tiny cellular structures in which insulin is stored and released when needed. His work has made a decisive contribution to deciphering their function.
He was able to show how beta cells dynamically adapt their insulin production by regulating the formation of new granules. In addition, he identified molecules that control the stability and translation of messenger RNAs for insulin and other important proteins.
Further fundamental findings concern the aging of these granules as well as their transport within the cell—processes that significantly influence how efficiently insulin is secreted.
Using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, his team was also able to map the microtubule network of the beta cell, which is considered a milestone in understanding cellular transport processes.
Bridge between basic research and clinical practice
Another focus of Solimena’s work lies in linking molecular basic research with clinical questions. By studying islet cells from living donors, his team was able to track in detail how beta cells change along the progression from normoglycemia to type 2 diabetes.
These findings provide important starting points for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, for example for the early detection of disease processes or for the targeted restoration of beta cell function.
While still a postdoc in the De Camilli’s lab, Solimena discovered the occurrence of autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) in subjects affected by type 1 diabetes and in stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder affecting GABAergic neurons in the central nervous system. Today anti-GAD65 autoantibodies are the single most widely used autoantibody biomarker for diabetes classification.
Science with a clear vision
Solimena’s research approach is shaped by a simple but decisive conviction: “We must understand how beta cells work, because their failure is the ultimate cause of all forms of diabetes” This mindset has shaped his scientific work for decades—and has enabled numerous groundbreaking discoveries.
Recognition of an outstanding lifetime achievement
“With the awarding of the Paul Langerhans Medal, the German Diabetes Society honors a scientist who has decisively shaped our understanding of beta cell biology,” said Prof. Martin Hrabe de Angelis, member of the board of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD). “His work has laid the foundation for new strategies for the prevention and treatment of diabetes—and has had an impact far beyond research.”
About the person
Solimena studied medicine in Milan, where he obtained both his medical doctorate and a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology. After positions as Assistant and Associate Professor at Yale University in the USA, he took over a research group at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden in 2001.
In 2003, he was appointed to TU Dresden, initially as Professor of Experimental Diabetology and later—from 2009—as Professor of Molecular Diabetology. At the same time, he was the founding Director of the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID), a partner of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), of which he is the spokesperson for Dresden. Since 2015, Solimena has also been Director of the Institute of Pancreatic Islet Cell Research (IPI) at Helmholtz Munich. In these capacities he has been promoting early-career researchers and coordinating the activities of the DZD on pancreatic islet research.
Further information
Website of Michele Solimena at Helmholtz Munich:
https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/diabetes-center/ipi/michele-solimena
Research website of Michele Solimena at Helmholtz Munich:
https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/ipi/research-groups/solimena-lab
