Working in diabetes research: preserving insulin production

Staff at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital are taking part in an NIHR-supported international diabetes study to test the effect of drug Verapamil in people with type 1 diabetes. 

The Verapamil SR in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes (Ver-A-T1D) study opened in 2021,  is led by the Medical University of Graz, Austria and funded by the European Commission. 

In this article, Senior Research Nurse Nicky McRobert explains more about the study and what motivates her to work in diabetes research.

Talk to your healthcare professional about taking part in research or search for studies seeking volunteers at Be Part of Research

What is this research study about?

Ver-A-T1D is a study involving people who have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the previous 6 weeks.  We are doing this study to see if a drug called Verapamil SR can preserve insulin production in these patients early on in their diagnosis. This will be done by comparing Verapamil SR against placebo and will look mainly at the effect of Verapamil SR on preserving insulin production by the beta cells in the pancreas and the help this gives with diabetes control.

What does taking part involve?

Taking part in the study involves 7 visits and 3 phone calls with the research centre over the course of a year.  Each visit will last approximately 3 hours and consists of measurements such as weight, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, blood tests and physical examination.  Some visits will also involve a mixed meal test where a cannula is inserted so that we can take regular blood tests following a liquid meal in order to measure blood glucose and levels of insulin production following the meal.  In addition, the participant will be given the study drug or placebo and the dose will be increased over the first few months of the study to the maximum level.  During the course of the year, we also ask participants to record any changes in health and medication in a diary, record their blood glucose measurements with the use of a continuous glucose monitoring system and carry out mixed meal tests at home by pricking a finger and dropping blood onto a card following a drink.  At the end of the first year of the study the treatment stage has ended but we ask participants if they would be willing to attend a further follow-up appointment a year later where the tests will be repeated so that we can assess the longer term effects of the treatment.

What motivates you to work in research?

I have been working in diabetes, metabolic and endocrine research for 13 years.  I really enjoy being at the forefront of new developments within this disease area.  It feels very exciting to get positive results from a study we have been working on and then to see a drug or product become licenced and see how it can improve someone's diabetes control or quality of life.  In addition, being a research nurse gives me the time to spend with participants during their visits and build relationships with them. It is a great privilege to work with participants who give so much of their time to taking part in studies to improve the lives of future generations.   

What would you say to people about considering whether to take part in research?

Studies can be time-consuming but most people who do decide to take part find it a very rewarding experience knowing they are helping other people. In addition, many people find that the opportunity to meet more often with specialist nurses and doctors can help them to understand and control their medical condition more easily and to feel more supported in managing it. Many people enjoy the experience so much they will ask us about further studies once theirs comes to an end. I would always say to speak to the research nurse about the study with any questions before making a decision as this will help decide if it is the right thing for you.