Schulze Diabetes Institute

Professor & Director
Bernhard Hering, MD

University Affiliations

The Schulze Diabetes Institute is housed within the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Surgery, integrating clinical and translational research programs for diabetes and transplantation medicine.

• Division of Transplantation
• Preclinical Research Center
• Total Pancreatectomy with Islet Autotransplant Program
• Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics Facility
• University of Minnesota Genomics Center
• Minnesota Supercomputing Institute
• Stem Cell Institute
• College of Veterinary Medicine

Academic Collaborators

Key academic collaborators extend the Institute’s reach both within and outside the UMN, enabling advances in immunology, bioengineering, and cell therapy.

• Clifford Steer, MD (UMN) – Generation of organs for transplant research
• Erik Finger, MD, PhD (UMN) – Organ and cell preservation research
• Gatikrushna Singh, PhD (UMN) – RNA targeted cancer therapy research
• John Osborn, PhD (UMN) – Role of the central nervous system research
• Mandy Ford, PhD (Emory University) – Immunology and transplant tolerance research
• Melanie Graham, PhD (UMN) – Transplant tolerance research
• Quinn Peterson, PhD (Mayo Clinic) - Stem cell and regenerative medicine research
• Rita Perlingeiro, PhD (UMN) – Stem cell and regenerative medicine research
• Timothy O’Brien, DVM, PhD, (UMN) - Exosome products for disease treatment

Research Consortia and Professional Societies

The Institute engages with national and international consortia to shape clinical standards and policy for islet transplantation and xenotransplantation.

• NIH Immune Tolerance Network (ITN)
• Clinical Islet Transplant Consortium (CIT)
• Nonhuman Primate Transplantation Tolerance Collaborative Study Group
• Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet
• Collaborative Islet Transplant Registry (CITR)
• Cell Transplant Society (CTS)
• International Xenotransplantation Association (IXA)
• International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association (IPITA)

Industry, NGO, and Global Partners

To accelerate translation, the Institute collaborates with industry, non-profits, and patient organizations, as well as academic centers in the USA, Canada, and Europe.

• Spring Point Project – designated pathogen-free swine source for clinical xenotransplantation (co-founded by Dr. Hering)
• Patient advocacy groups (e.g., Breakthrough T1D, MN Lions Diabetes Foundation, Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation)
• Funding agencies (e.g., NIH, private foundations)
• Investigators at Canadian and European centers in cell therapy and transplant immunology

1994: Founding as the Diabetes Institute for Immunology & Transplantation
Building on Minnesota’s pioneering pancreas-transplant program, the University of Minnesota launched a dedicated diabetes institute in 1994 to develop islet (β-cell)
transplantation as a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Under the leadership of David E.R. Sutherland, M.D., Ph.D., and then Bernhard J. Hering, M.D., the Institute perfected methods for isolating, transplanting, and engrafting donor islets, positioning UMN as a world leader in β-cell replacement therapy.

2008–2009: The Schulze Family’s Transformative Gift
In December 2008, Richard M. Schulze and the Schulze Family Foundation pledged $40 million—the second-largest donation in University history and the second-largest
family gift to diabetes research in the U.S. at that time. In honor of this gift, the Diabetes Institute for Immunology & Transplantation was renamed the Schulze Diabetes Institute, dramatically expanding its research capacity and accelerating its mission to cure Type 1 diabetes.

2010s–Today: Growth into a Global Translational Hub

Since its renaming, the Schulze Diabetes Institute has:
- Refined immunosuppressive regimens to improve islet-graft survival
- Pioneered cryopreservation and ex vivo organ-engineering approaches
- Advanced transplant immunology to promote tolerance of allografts (human donor grafts) and xenografts (animal donor grafts)
- Demonstrated long-term survival and function of pancreatic islets in nonhuman primates without ongoing anti-rejection drugs
 

Today, the Institute remains at the forefront of translating β-cell replacement into durable, drug-sparing therapies that aim to free people from the burdens of insulin-
dependent diabetes.

February 2025:

Joseph Sushil Rao, MD, Invited to Join Young Investigator Committee of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association

Surgical Lead in pancreatic islet cryopreservation, exogenic organ development, and transplant immunology, Joseph Sushil Rao, MD, was recently invited to join the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association (IPITA) 's Young Investigator Committee (YIC).

1. Bernhard J. Hering, Michael R. Rickels, Melena D. Bellin, Jeffrey R. Millman, Alice A. Tomei, Andres J. Garcıa, Haval Shirwan, Cherie L. Stabler, Minglin Ma, Peng Yi, Xunrong Luo, Qizhi Tang, Sabarinathan Ramachandran, Jose Oberholzer, Camillo Ricordi, Timothy J. Kieffer, and A.M. James Shapiro (2025). Advances in Cell Replacement Therapies for Diabetes. Diabetes Journal. PMID: 40272266  DOI: 10.2337/db25-0037 

   Why does this matter? This landmark review pulls together, for the first time, the full arc of β-cell replacement—from bench optimizations of islet isolation and cryopreservation to peritransplant management, immunosuppression refinements, and Phase 3 trial outcomes demonstrating durable glycemic control and protection from severe hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes. By convening pioneers across surgery, endocrinology, bioengineering and immunology, it not only codifies best-practice standards for clinical islet transplantation but also charts the next frontiers (e.g., stem-cell–derived grafts, organ-engineering scaffolds, novel tolerance protocols) that will drive the field toward a scalable cure.

2. Graham, M. L., Ramachandran, S., Singh, A., Moore, M. E. G, Flanagan, B. E., Azimzadeh, A., Burlak, C., Mueller, K. R., Martins, K., Anazawa, T., Balamurugan, A. N., Bansal-Pakala, P., Murtaugh, M. P., O'Brien, T., Papas, K. K., Spizzo, T., Schuurman, H. J., Hancock, W. W., & Hering, B. J. (2021). Clinically available immunosuppression averts rejection but not systemic inflammation after porcine islet xenotransplant in cynomolgus macaques. American Journal of Transplantation 2021 Oct 27; doi: 10.1111/ajt.16876. 

   Why does this matter? This 2021 Graham et al. study represents a critical milestone in moving porcine islet xenotransplantation toward clinical reality by:
   1. Defining a “Clinically Feasible” Immunosuppression Regimen
   2. Proving Adaptive Immunity Control, Exposing Innate Immunity Gaps
   3. Shaping the Next Generation of Xenotransplant Strategies
   4. Bridging to First-in-Human Trials

3. Rao, J. S., Hosny, N., Kumbha, R., Naqvi, R. A., Singh, A., Swanson, Z., Levy, H., Matson, A. W., Steinhoff, M., Forneris, N., Walters, E., Hering, B. J., & Burlak, C. (2021). HLA-G1+ Expression in GGTA1KO Pigs Suppresses Human and Monkey Anti-Pig T, B and NK Cell Responses. Frontiers in Immunology, 12, 730545. PMID: 34566993 PMCID: PMC8459615 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.730545 

   Why does this matter? This paper marks a major leap in making pig‐to‐human (and nonhuman primate) organ and islet transplants immunologically tolerable by:
   1. Introducing a Physiologic “Brake” on Xenogeneic Immunity
   2. Broad Suppression of Key Effector Arms
   3. Preserved Functional Competence of Islets
   4. A Blueprint for Next-Generation Xenotransplant

4. Nanno, Y., Sterner, E., Gildersleeve, J. C., Hering, B. J., & Burlak, C. (2021). Carbohydrate antigen microarray analysis of serum IgG and IgM antibodies before and after adult porcine islet xenotransplantation in cynomolgus macaques. PloS One, 16(6), e0253029. PMID: 34138941  doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253029 

   Why does this matter? This study is a milestone for porcine‐to‐primate islet xenotransplantation because it provides a practical roadmap for glyco-engineering: by pinpointing exactly which sugar epitopes trigger antibodies, it enables the creation of next-generation pigs tailored to evade both classical and humoral barriers.

5. Nanno, Y., Wastvedt, S., Freeman, M. L., Trikudanathan, G., Schwarzenberg, S. J., Downs, E. M., Kirchner, V., Pruett, T. L., Beilman, G. J., Chinnakotla, S., Hering, B. J., & Bellin, M. D. (2021). Metabolic measures before surgery and long-term diabetes outcomes in recipients of total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation. American Journal of Transplantation. PMID: 33754431  doi: 10.1111/ajt.16573 

   Why does this matter? This publication is significant because it identifies preoperative metabolic markers that can help predict long-term diabetes outcomes in patients undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TP-IAT). That’s a big deal for people with chronic pancreatitis who face the difficult decision of removing their pancreas to relieve pain, knowing it could lead to insulin-dependent diabetes.

6. Boucher, A. A., Wastvedt, S., Hodges, J. S., Beilman, G. J., Kirchner, V. A., Pruett, T. L., Hering, B. J., Schwarzenberg, S. J., Downs, E., Freeman, M., Trikudanathan, G., Chinnakotla, S., & Bellin, M. D. (2021). Portal Vein Thrombosis may Be More Strongly Associated With Islet Infusion Than Extreme Thrombocytosis After Total Pancreatectomy With Islet Autotransplantation. Transplantation. PMID: 33988346  doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003624

   Why does this matter? This publication is important because it challenges a common assumption in post- surgical care for patients undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT). Traditionally, extreme thrombocytosis - a sharp rise in platelet count - was thought to be a major contributor to portal vein thrombosis (PVT), a serious complication. But this study found that islet infusion volume and portal pressure are more strongly associated with PVT than platelet counts.

International Pancreas & Islet Transplant Association
June 15 – 18th, 2025
Pisa, Italy

UMN Diabetes Research Day
Friday, May 30th, 2025
UMN-TC Campus

Surgery Research Recognition Day
Tuesday, May 27th, 2025
UMN-TC Campus

American Association of Immunologists
May 3 -7th, 2025
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Awards

• Parthasarathy Rangarajan, Ph.D. The Transplantation Society/IPITA 2025 Congress Scientific Abstract Award
• Anna Tran, B.Sc. 2025. Dept. of Surgery. Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation Award
• Joseph Sushil Rao, M.D. 2025. Dept. of Surgery Research Staff Excellence Award
• Parthasarathy Rangarajan, Ph.D. 2025. Dept. of Surgery. Top Honor: Research Staff Excellence Award
• Dr. Parthasarathy Rangarajan, Ph.D. 2025. Dept. of Surgery. Outstanding Staff Presentation Award

The Schulze Diabetes Institute relies upon the support of many—from large foundations to individuals with a vested interest in finding a cure. The best way to support our work is to get involved!

Participate

Meet like-minded people and have fun while raising money and awareness for diabetes research.

Breakthrough T1D Walk (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes) 

Breakthrough T1D Walk is a nationwide movement dedicated to raising type 1 diabetes (T1D) awareness and funding research. As the largest T1D walk, this event empowers individuals and teams to take action.

Give to the Max Day

The University of Minnesota Foundation participates in an annual Minnesota event called Give to the Max Day—a day each November set aside for Minnesotans to support causes close to their hearts. Designate your gift on this day to help further a cure for diabetes.