UNLV seeks volunteers for Type 1 diabetes study

If you have a loved one who has Type 1 diabetes, aka juvenile diabetes, UNLV wants to talk to you.

Physicians at UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine are looking for volunteers for a diabetes study designed to help slow the progression of the disease.

The researchers are looking for people who have not been diagnosed with diabetes but fall into one of two high-risk groups:

— Those ages 2 to 45 who have a parent, sibling or child with Type 1 diabetes.

— Those ages 2 to 20 who have an aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent, niece or nephew with the disease.

Volunteers will get a no-cost screening to determine their risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. The screening, which will take place June 7, involves an office visit and a blood draw.

Those who are interested in participating in the study are urged to contact Kemi Otitoju at 702-671-4351 or by email at kemi.otitoju@unlv.edu.

The medical school is conducting this study in collaboration with the research division of UNLV’s Office of Clinical Trials.

Roughly 2 million American children, adolescents and adults have Type 1 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And despite its “juvenile” alias, even older people can develop the disease.

Contact Paul Pearson at ppearson@reviewjournal.com.