Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening

inconvenient

and costly disease that lacks a cure.The goalofthis research proposalis to optimize the expression of beta cell transcription factors

Pdx1 and MafA

to yield permanent or long-term reprogramming of alpha cells into beta cells. Specifically

I will determine whether short-term expression of Pdx1 and MafA is sufficient to yield long-term T1D reversal or if long-term expression of these transcrip⁃ tion factors is needed to maintain reprogrammed alpha cells as beta cells. The outcome of this study has the potential to revolutionize the develop⁃ ment of novel T1D therapeutics for permanent and cost-effective treatment forT1Dpatientswithseverebetacelldeficit.