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The central goal of the SUMMIT consortium is to develop surrogate markers for micro- and macrovascular hard endpoints so as to shorten clinical trials on diabetes. SUMMIT focuses on diabetic nephropathy (DN), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and Lower Extremity Arterial Disease (LEAD) in both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes as well as on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in T2D. The identification and characterization of these markers can be used to predict risks of developing the complications and monitor the effects of therapeutical interventions.

OBJECTIVES

 Specifically, SUMMIT endeavours to: 

 

Identify genetic markers predicting susceptibility to chronic micro- and macrovascular complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (WP1).

10.000 patient samples from a variety of cohorts have been genotyped by DNA sequencing technologies. The newly discovered genotypes responsible for the diabetes complications are currently being applied for biomarker discovery more...

Identify non-genetic biomarkers predicting susceptibility to chronic micro- and macrovascular complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and/or response to disease modifying therapy (WP2).

     

 

Biomarkes are identified by examing the metabolome, lipidome and proteome of serum/plasma and urine samples from diabetic patients with and without complications. The discovered biomarkers will be taken forward for their evaluation in prospective cohorts and clinical trials more...

Develop new non-invasive imaging techniques, suitable to monitor atherosclerosis and retinopathy with sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy (WP3).

The SUMMIT partners will determine the association of these imaging modalities with genetic and biomarkers identified by WP1 and WP2 and provide targets for mechanistic studies as described in animal model studies more...

Explore existing and generate novel animal models, which can reproduce the development of micro- and macrovascular complications in both T1D and T2D diabetes (WP4). 

These animal models are expected to better predict pathogenetic mechanisms and outcomes of interventions in the clinic and intervention trials more...

Establish computational tools and methods for data mining and knowledge integration (WP5).

The developed tools empower literature mining as well as the integration of large datasets emerging from all SUMMIT WPs. Furthermore, the analysis of the results is exploited to evaluate the efficacy of single marker in predicting the diabetes complications and in drug registration trials more...​

Coordinate, manage, disseminate the project and train its community (WP6).​

WP6 is designed to provide the infrastructure and expertise for all aspects of administrative and operational support to a) the overall consortium and b) the various boards and committees of the governance structure. These activities capacitate SUMMIT to achieve its ambitious goals on daily bases more...

MISSION

T​o DISCOVER, DEVELOP and QUALIFY potential MARKERS that empower:

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  • the identification of patients at high risk of diabetes complications

  • the monitoring of the complications' progression and patients‘ response to therapy 

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To use the discovered markers as SURROGATE ENDPOINTS in clinical trials.



Thereby, SHORTEN the long lasting CLINICAL TRIALS to bring about EARLIER availability of NEW THERAPY to diabetic patients.

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