What are the scientific and technical challenges that hinder the development of a universally accessible and engineered intervention for type 1 diabetes?

T1D is an incurable autoimmune disease that damages insulin-producing cells and causes high glucose and complications. Current treatments are suboptimal and have drawbacks. Developing a universal and engineered intervention faces challenges in understanding, predicting, modulating, engineering, delivering, sensing, translating, and managing T1D

T1D is a lifelong disease where the immune system destroys the cells that make insulin, leading to high blood sugar and health problems. Existing treatments require insulin injections or pumps, but they are not ideal and have limitations. To create a better intervention, we need to overcome many scientific and technical hurdles in different aspects of T1D.

I am dismayed by the apparent lack of responses to this topic, which suggests that type 1 diabetes is not well understood and is deliberately ignored by the public and the media. I suspect that this is a result of the influence of the insulin companies, who have a vested interest in maintaining their profits and suppressing alternative treatments. This is a serious issue that deserves more attention and research, not silence and indifference.

An interesting topic of conversation AMK. I confess to not knowing a lot about Type 1 diabetes, but it would seem like there are lots of opportunities for engineering a solution. As you say though, a lot of it will come down to money. It would be great if there was something being used elsewhere that would help. 
We have a IET healthcare network so perhaps Gemma Hadley  knows someone who is working in this area?

I am dismayed by the apparent lack of responses to this topic, which suggests that type 1 diabetes is not well understood and is deliberately ignored by the public and the media.

I can confess to not well understood - apart from a first aid course (where it was drummed into us to work out whether the patient was hyper or hypo before doing anything (suggesting a mars bar rather than insulin or vice versa) the closest I've come to type 1 is the daughter of good friends of mine who has the condition. She now works in medical research and I suspect had some small part during the development of the implants that monitor levels. I feel 'deliberately ignored' isn't entirely fair though, rather more likely, I feel, is that your ask is rather outside of our comfort zones or indeed abilities. I guess that many here are the twist the wires together or tighten the bolts up kind of engineers rather than anything more medical/biological. Sensors and pumps we might be able to help with, but that sort of thing seems to have been done already - gene therapy or mimicking the function of entire bodily organs - seems a long long way over my head at least.

   - Andy.

Well AMK, I can't answer the substance of your question, but would comment as follows:-

1. We have just had a 3 day weekend in UK, many might only just have seen this (like me).

2. These forums are now very low traffic, very few people engage, I guess most IET members will not have seen your post (above it tells me "134 views") which tells me you may be asking in the wrong place. But you might be lucky....

3. You are probably correct to assume the solution you desire is not a priority - not enough money to be made. My friend (and later best man) was diagnosed type 1 at the age of 16, now 46 years ago so I do appreciate your concern/interest.

Thank you for your reply Elizabeth. I will get in touch with Gemma shortly.

I appreciate your response Andy. Jelly babies are now the best option for hypos. Lucozade used to be good, but they reduced the sugar content.

Thanks Roger, I am grateful for your thoughtful response. I realise that there are other websites and forums that address the experience of living with type 1 diabetes, but not the improvement of the current treatment options and engineered solutions.