Chanpreet Toor, COL ’24, Sayreville, NJ
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a research assistant at the Diabetes Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. My research team was led by our principal investigator, Dr. Steven Willi, an endocrinologist and the director of the Diabetes Center. Under his guidance, I worked to support and participate in research activities for a myriad of groundbreaking clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of several novel interventions for pediatric patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
One of the clinical trials our research team is currently executing at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is the INHALE-1 research study. INHALE-1 is a Phase 3, open-label, randomized clinical study evaluating the efficacy of Afrezza, an inhaled insulin, in combination with basal insulin for pediatric subjects with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Afrezza is the only inhaled, FDA-approved, ultra rapid-acting insulin that delivers glucose management in the moment for adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Our research team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is a part of a larger, nation-wide clinical trial that aims to assess if Afrezza can deliver the same benefits it does in adults to children between the ages of 4-17. Not only does Afrezza lower blood sugar levels faster than injectable forms of rapid-acting insulin, it also leaves the bloodstream quicker, lowering the patient’s risk for hypoglycemic episodes. After working with pediatric patients participating in the Afrezza clinical trial, I have not only learned a great deal about clinical research activities, but I have also learned about the unique responsibilities and stresses families face when managing their child’s diabetes care. I am extremely passionate about the work done by our research team to advance this novel intervention as it eliminates the stress and stigma of administering multiple injections a day for young children and presents a less invasive alternative for daily diabetes management. Most importantly, the unique opportunity to join a child’s diabetes treatment team, alongside the medical provider, education specialists, and registered dietician, has been an enlightening experience that has taught me invaluable lessons about patient autonomy, strong support systems, and the importance of open communication between families and healthcare professionals.
Alongside the clinical trials our research team has been conducting, we are starting a new study that aims to understand research participation among parents/guardians of youth with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. In this study, our team administers a survey to the families of patients who are eligible to participate in the wide variety of clinical trials testing novel interventions for their child’s diabetes management. The goal of this survey is to better understand the factors that play a central role in a family’s decision to either participate or choose not to participate in certain studies to make these clinical trials more equitable and accessible for children of all backgrounds. Coming from a background with extensive knowledge and work surrounding the social determinants of health, this project is extremely special to me as it aims to eliminate certain confounding factors that may leave some patients unable to access therapeutics that could change their lives. All in all, my work this summer at the Diabetes Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has been an extremely rewarding experience that has allowed me to apply the knowledge I have learned throughout my time at Penn and opened new doors for my future as I navigate my career goals.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2023 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
