Doctor James Shapiro

Dr. Shapiro began his research as a medical student at the University of Newcastle-on-Tyne where he began research studies transplanting insulin-producing islets in an attempt to cure diabetes in rats. He continued his surgical training at the University of Bristol and moved to Edmonton, Canada in 1993 to learn cutting edge islet and liver transplant training. Dr. Shapiro completed his liver transplant training in Edmonton and extended his liver and pancreas cancer surgery in Vancouver, Baltimore and Kyoto, Japan.

Dr. Shapiro joined the faculty at the University of Alberta in 1998 and was appointed as the leader of The Clinical Islet Transplant Program for his expertise in clinical transplant surgery, anti-rejection drug treatments and islet transplant research.

Dr. Shapiro has been presented many awards for his dedication to research to include the prestigious Hunterian Medal from The Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Gold Medal in Surgery from The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, The Banting Medal from Diabetes UK and the Governor General's Gold Medal. He holds a CIHR-Wyeth Research Chair in Transplantation and is Director of a $25 million Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Clinical Centre for Islet Transplantation at The University of Alberta.

A message from Dr. Shapiro:

My approach to accelerating the path to a cure for diabetes is to leave no stone unturned, and I have therefore chosen a series of approaches that I think will really make a huge difference to the outcomes of islet transplantation and the availability of the procedure to diabetics within the coming few years.

I am closely monitoring and actively collaborating with a series of top internation scientists in their own research to find a cure. As data emerges, with the flexibility and generosity of those financially supporting our research, we will be able to accelerate our target of a permanent cure.