Interview with Lutz Heinemann, Our Most Recent Scientific Advisory Board Member

We are thrilled to welcome Lutz Heinemann, a well-known expert and active member of the diabetes research community, to our Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). With his strong focus on insulin pharmacology and diabetes technology, the co-founder of Profil Institute for Metabolic Research, part-owner of ProSciento Institute and managing editor of ‘Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology’ is a perfect fit for MuSiC4Diabetes. We talked about how he became a diabetes researcher, what convinced him to join the SAB and how, in his opinion, diabetes management will change in the upcoming years.

Tell us a bit about yourself – I reckon your path to becoming one of the most renowned diabetologists had not been set in stone from the very beginning. Why did you choose to work in the field of diabetes?

I'm not sure about your statement being one of the most renowned diabetologists. My own assumption is that if you stay long enough in a relatively small area of research, people know you. With respect to your second question, I should be honest and state that this was more or less by chance. I worked initially in the area of neurophysiology; however, when I got the chance to work in metabolic research, I jumped on it. I started with a clear focus on insulin pharmacology, especially on time-action profiles of different insulin formulations. We employed the so-called glucose clamp technique to quantify the pharmacodynamic properties of different insulins. At the same time, continuous glucose monitoring and other areas of diabetes technology came into my focus. Since a number of years, I have run clinical trials in such areas of research and have published a number of respective articles. I was the editor of a US-based diabetes technology journal, and we have also been organising diabetes technology meetings for a number of years.

When you were approached by the consortium and read about the MuSiC4Diabetes project and device, what were your first thoughts? What convinced you to join our SAB in the end?

To be honest again, my first thought was, this is quite an ambitious aim. I have seen several other approaches with somewhat the same basic idea that have failed; however, my colleagues who are deeply involved in this project convinced me that this approach is unique and has a good chance of success.

You have decades of experience in the field of diabetes technology and digital health solutions for diabetes management. How - in your opinion - can the MuSiC4Diabetes technology make a difference? What is most remarkable about the project approach?

One interesting feature of this project is the members of this project. I have worked with some of them in the past in the AP@home project. I believe that it is key to have some creative and smart brains in such a project to make a difference. When I talked with M. Richter about the project, he was able to handle my critical comments in a way that convinced me that this project has a good chance of success.

When you look to the future, how will diabetes management change in the next 5 years?

The market introduction of systems for automated insulin delivery, some 10 years ago, initiated a big change in diabetes management. Such AID systems start to become the standard of care, at least for people with type 1 diabetes. However, today, at least a subgroup of people with type 2 diabetes on insulin therapy are using CGM systems, and some are also using AID systems. I assume that this group will grow in the next years, especially when a smaller and more convenient system will become available. In addition, the AID systems of the next generation will not only cover the insulin requirement during the night and between meals, but also the meal-related insulin needs. Such fully closed-loop systems represent the Holy Grail of diabetes management.