This month, Bonpreu and Esclat will carry out a solidarity campaign to raise funds for diabetes research at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL). From November 1 to 30, customers will have the opportunity to round up their bills in favor of this cause in all its establishments.
Diabetes is a disease that affects an increasing number of people around the world. With more than 630,000 estimated cases in Catalonia, this disease represents a significant challenge for public health and the people who suffer from it. With 8% of the population over 15 years of age and a staggering 20% of people over 65 years of age being affected, research remains essential for the development of new therapies that can improve the lives of this growing number of patients.
Dr. Meritxell Rovira’s team from IDIBELL, recipient of this collaboration, is specialized in the biology of the pancreas and has been dedicated to research into therapies for diabetes for more than 15 years. In the last three years they have developed an innovative methodology that allows insulin-producing cells to be generated in the laboratory from other cells of the pancreas. This approach, which uses cutting-edge technologies such as minipancreas cultures, promises to be a key piece in the future treatment of diabetes.
The funds raised through this solidarity campaign will be invested in the development of new therapies for diabetes that can significantly improve the prognosis of people affected by this disease. This includes the identification of the best culture conditions that favor the differentiation of pancreatic organoids into insulin-producing cells and the generation of a source of insulin-producing cells in culture. We will also seek to identify the best implantation site for beta cells generated in culture to regulate blood glucose levels.
The commitment of Bonpreu and Esclat to this charitable cause is an example of their involvement in the community and in improving public health. The supermarket chain works on this initiative in collaboration with Worldcoo, which develops and implements solidarity collection channels. Through their website you can track the status of the projects.