It started with a love of caring for dogs and other animals.
Mia Smith, DVM, PhD, became interested in her furry patients who would come to the veterinary office sick from autoimmune conditions, disorders that trigger the body’s immune system to attack itself.
“Dogs can get many autoimmune disorders that are similar to humans – diabetes, lupus, autoimmune thyroid disease,” said Smith, who wanted to better treat her canine patients.
Taking that interest, Smith pivoted her career to researching diabetes and B cells – a type of immune cell – in search of preventative therapies for autoimmune conditions in both humans and their four-legged friends. She is now an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, conducting her research at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes.
In the following Q&A, Smith outlines the current state of research on how B cells can lead to type 1 diabetes and how genetics plays a role in the condition.