Type I diabetes is caused by pancreatic islet function damage, which can not be cured up to now. Professor Deng Hongkui of Peking University and his team recently published two papers in NatureMedicine and NatureMetabolism, which proved that pancreatic islet cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells are safe and effective in treating type I diabetes in non-human primates. Media interpretation believes that this new treatment is expected to cure type I diabetes in the future. On February 12, the reporter of Science and Technology Daily gave an exclusive interview to Professor Deng Hongkui of Peking University, the research leader, to interpret the whole story of this research that may cure type I diabetes in the future. In 2012, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded a "landmark" technology - iPS technology. By transgene overexpression of transcription factors, iPS technology can reverse the fate of human adult cell differentiation and reshape it into pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells are the key "seed cells" of stem cells and regenerative medicine. If people can obtain such "seed cells" like "agricultural seed production", it will solve the problem of cell source faced by regenerative medicine. Deng Hongkui's team began to explore the path of obtaining "seed cells" very early, which is different from the Nobel Prize achievements. During scientific research and exploration, they chose "the north slope of Mount Everest" - to reprogram human adult cells into pluripotent stem cells using chemical small molecules. In the climb to obtain "seed cells", why is the transcription factor induction method "south slope" and the small molecule induction method "north slope"? There are many kinds of small molecule compounds in the world, but the combination of transcription factors is much less. In the first few years, Professor Deng Hongkui's team has been experimenting with tens of thousands of small molecule compounds and their different combinations. His idea comes from nature: "salamanders, earthworms and other lower animals have a strong regeneration ability. Their changes in cell fate come from exogenous stimuli. Small molecule induction is a natural path to simulate exogenous stimuli to change cell fate. So we think that small molecule induction will be a better way than 'transcription factor induction'." The advantages of small molecules are obvious, stable, simple and free to penetrate cells, These are the key factors for a basic research to be finally put into clinical application. "Our scientific research goal is to establish a new method that can be really applied in the future with better results," Deng Hongkui said. In 2022, Deng Hongkui's research team established a safe, simple, easy to regulate and standardize human pluripotent stem cell preparation technology by using the method of chemical small-molecule induction. The "seed production" technology of "seed cells" achieved simple and flexible operation and reversible and controllable regulation. The research results were published in the international scientific journal Nature. Using new seed cells to complete "simulation" treatment To complete the whole treatment of type I diabetes, three key steps are needed: first, "seed cells" preparation, second, it is differentiated into islet cells, and third, islet cells are supplied to patients. Since the 20th Spring and Autumn Period, Deng Hongkui's research team has conducted basic research