The underlying link between T1D and CD and AITD holds a significant, and only to a lesser extent cultivated, potential for early detection in the presymptomatic stages and development of preventive therapies, and in DiaUnion we seek to utilize and optimize this potential:

• Using novel Antibody Detection by Agglutination-PCR (ADAP) multiplex assays, autoantibody screening for the three diseases can be done in one go, which saves time, cost and human resources. Combining multiplex assays with lab automation, such as the DiaUnion Hamilton Microlab liquid handling robot (see picture below), analyses that earlier took a week to complete, can be done in one day. In addition, screening for all three diseases can be done at basically the same cost as for screening for T1D alone.
• In some countries, ethical approval for genetic and autoantibody screening for diseases that cannot be cured can be challenging. However, the sum of benefits of available preventive measures for three diseases, instead of just one, forms a stronger argument for ethical approvals.
• The health economic case for adopting screening as part of a public health service is strengthened considerably when screening for three diseases compared to only one.
• Due to the genetic link between the three diseases, a primary prevention therapy may be able to cover all three diseases, and approaches to secondary/tertiary therapies may be similar. Thus, collaboration and exchange of knowledge between researchers in each disease are important.

The core focus of DiaUnion is on T1D, thus the follow-up and monitoring activities involving CD and AITD will be handled by partner specialists in these disease areas.

The picture below shows co-PI Åke Lernmark next to the DiaUnion Hamilton Microlab liquid handling robot.