Diabetes researchers convert pancreas cells to produce insulin

By Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 28, 2008 Injecting a cocktail of proteins directly into the bodies of diabetic mice, researchers have converted normal pancreas cells into insulin-producing cells -- a genetic transformation that could pave the way for treating intractable diseases and injuries using a patient's own supply of healthy tissue. The Harvard study may ultimately shift treatment options away from stem cells for a variety of diseases.