Diabetech - Diabetes Tech, Research, News

I speak with the first patient in a groundbreaking type 1 diabetes cure research trial using encapsulated neonatal pig islet cells—without immunosuppression. Six months after his transplant through the OPF-310 study led by Otsuka Pharmaceutical and University of Illinois Chicago, Michael Revland's insulin needs have been cut in half as the cells have begun maturing and producing insulin. We dive into how this porcine islet cell tra...

I’m joined by Naomi Schwartz, former FDA diabetes reviewer and VP of regulatory strategy at Medcrypt, who shares firsthand insight into how device classifications, De Novo pathways, and FDA warning letters work. We break down why the FDA can feel like a barrier to innovation, how DIY diabetes tech and cybersecurity risks are evaluated, and the difference between wellness devices and regulated medical devices. We examine recent work...

I speak with Portal Diabetes about how its next-generation implantable pump could bring this technology back—smaller, smarter, and potentially fully closed loop using CGM data. Because insulin is delivered into the intraperitoneal cavity, it acts far faster and clears the body quicker than subcutaneous insulin, which could mean fewer highs and lows and far more spontaneity. I ask them how the pump works, what the surgery and refill...

Gary and I take on one of the most important skills in modern diabetes management: understanding and using your data. We break down how to analyze CGM and pump data to identify patterns, trends, and problem areas without getting overwhelmed by numbers. The conversation covers basal insulin, bolus timing, insulin to carb ratios, correction factors, and what metrics like time in range and glucose variability actually tell you about y...

Using biometrics like heart rate, stress, and activity to automate insulin delivery in real time, Rheos is a next-generation AID system designed to learn and adapt directly from the body. I sit down with Jonathan Fitch, Founder of GlucoSense, to explore how this settings-free, AI-powered AID system uses wearable data to continuously adapt insulin needs throughout the day. We get into features like logging meals by photo or voice, p...

Insulin pump access in the U.S. is changing fast, with more companies moving to pharmacy benefits and making it easier than ever for people with diabetes to start—or switch—systems. While this shift brings more choice and flexibility, it’s also exposing serious challenges around safety, training, and continuity of care. As AID systems become more complex and less interchangeable, switching pumps isn’t as simple as transferring sett...

Co-host Gary Scheiner, CDCES, and I break down basal insulin and why it is the foundation of insulin therapy. We explain what basal insulin does, how it controls liver glucose between meals and overnight, and why incorrect settings can cause constant highs and lows even with advanced diabetes tech. We also cover common basal insulin mistakes, how pumps and automated insulin delivery systems handle basal differently, and answer list...

2025 delivered major innovations in diabetes tech as well as surprising twists and today we explore the wins, the fails, and what these trends mean for people living with diabetes. I sit down with Kamil Armacky of Nerdabetic to unpack everything from Libre 3 Plus expanding pump integrations, updates and sensor recall, to Dexcom’s new 15-day sensor and how the community feels about it. We also dive into major industry shifts, includ...

What happens when diabetes tech doesn’t do what you need—and you decide to build the solution yourself? I sit down with Pablo Medina, who was recently diagnosed with type 1.5 diabetes and built his own iPhone app to fix gaps in insulin patch tracking. We get into his misdiagnosis journey, his experience with devices like InPen, Cequr Simplicity, and why he’s now trialing the Omnipod 5 AID system. Pablo walks me through how his insu...

Medtronic, soon-to-be MiniMed, officially launched its brand-new Instinct CGM in the U.S., a 15-day, no-calibration sensor that pairs seamlessly with the 780G insulin pump. I sit down with Medtronic’s Laura Endres to break down everything. Laura gives us a live demo of the Instinct applicator, explains how it integrates with both the 780G and the upcoming MiniMed Go smart pen platform, and shares why Medtronic partnered with Abbott...

On our new show Optimizing Diabetes Tech (ODT) my co-host Gary Scheiner CDCES and I discuss how people with diabetes can take full advantage of their continuous glucose monitors to make managing Diabetes easier and safer. We get into how to react to alarms, adjust settings, and the features you need to know about. We also answer your questions about CGMs.

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I sit down with Josiah Dykstra—a cybersecurity expert who spent nearly two decades at the NSA and has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years—to explore what diabetes management looks like inside some of the most locked-down buildings in the world. We talk about what happens when your phone, smartwatch, and even certain medical devices are banned; why a standalone Dexcom receiver became essential for his T1D care; and how gove...

I sit down with endocrinologist and diabetes tech expert Dr. David Ahn to unpack the future of tubeless insulin pumps and automated insulin delivery for people with type 1 diabetes. We break down how companies like Omnipod, Tandem (with its tubeless Mobi and 7-day infusion set), Beta Bionics with its reusable mint patch pump, and Medtronic’s upcoming MiniMed Fit are racing to own the next generation of patch pumps. We talk about wh...

I sit down with Breakthrough T1D CEO Dr. Aaron Kowalski to trace his journey—from open-source roots and the early CGM days to leading one of the most influential organizations in diabetes. We dig into how the Artificial Pancreas Project helped make CGMs and AID systems mainstream, and why Aaron believes he’ll one day take off his insulin pump. He breaks down today’s cure pathways—cell replacement and regeneration, immune modulation...

Pregnancy with diabetes can feel overwhelming—and our healthcare system doesn’t always provide the support people need. In this episode, I talk with Kari Cao and Kelly Carter from RenewRx, a platform transforming prenatal care with behavior-based coaching, CGM insights, and real-time support for both patients and providers. It’s a heartwarming conversation about how they’re filling the gaps in our healthcare system and empowering w...

Researchers are pushing the boundaries of noninvasive glucose monitoring—by looking to the brain. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Casey Halpern, founder and CEO of SynchNeuro, a startup developing a small wearable that sits behind the ear and reads brainwave activity (EEG) to track glucose levels. The device interprets electrical signals from the hypothalamus and other brain regions to detect shifts in glucose, stress, and metabo...

Before CGM data hit Apple Watches or official apps, Kate Farnsworth and a community of determined parents made it happen themselves. Labeled “helicopter parents” by companies Dexcom, they soldered devices, coded software, and launched Nightscout—the first way to view glucose data remotely. Kate went on to found the Looped Facebook group helping over 30,000 families build their own open-source insulin systems years before commercial...

The twiist insulin pump from Sequel Med Tech is finally in users’ hands—and people have thoughts! I sas down with two early adopters, Sean Wilkinson and nurse practitioner Jori Matushek, to discuss their first month using twiist. They dive into everything from the algorithm’s unique features—like emoji-based bolusing and retroactive carb adjustments—to infusion set design, occlusion detection, and how it feels to wear. The trio als...

This episode explores the Medtrum automated insulin system, a tubeless patch pump available across Europe, Argentina, New Zealand and more. Mariska Francke shares her experience after two years on the pump and four months using the Medtrum Nano CGM—covering setup, app use, alerts, and what it’s like day-to-day. She opens up about improved sleep, accuracy challenges, and what’s ahead with Medtrum’s next-generation sensors. We also a...