The discovery, made at The University of Texas Health Science Center, increases the types of pancreatic cells that secrete insulin. In Type 1 diabetes, people must theoretically take daily insulin shots because their bodies don't produce any insulin, and is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults. This makes up less than 10 per cent of all diabetic cases. A study published in Diabetologia found a correlation between serum levels of vitamin D3 and subsequent incidence of Type 1 diabetes. They found that deficiency in vitamin D may be associated with an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes. The risk of insulin-requiring diabetes was 3.5 times higher in individuals with the lowest Vitamin D concentrations compared with those with the highest. The scientists received a U.S. patent in January, and UT Health San Antonio is spinning out a company to begin commercialization. The strategy has cured diabetes in mice. "It worked perfectly," Dr. Doiron, assistant professor of