Diabetes Mellitus and Tuberculosis

A recent article in The Hindu on DM and TB states a certain level of co-occurrence between the two. I have neither researched on DM or TB, but attempted a possible way to study their interaction. Recently, Govt of India passed a resolution to utilize alternative approaches than an animal model, for drug testing. Currently, techniques such as 3D culture, organoid, spheroid, organ-on-chip, 3D bioprinting and in silico analysis have been suggested as alternative approaches. Amongst these, I wish to write a bit about co-culture (static and non-static). But, why mention it here? Since DM and TB are two disorders occurring due to different cell types, thus cell-cell interaction and signaling can be studied by culturing mammalian cells on microspheres and immersing them into a bacterial culture (static or centrifugal).

To be more physiological-like, a simplified microfluidic device can be designed (I have no clue how to do it!) to study mass transport. The only time I had any experience with microfluidics was during my PhD. We were studying the role of glycosylation on selectin-binding, and would allow cells with different glycan-profile to roll over an endothelium monolayer. The caveat: TB is a bacterial infection and DM occurs due to pancreas inability to secrete insulin. But, in hindsight, a similar approach can be used to study the bacterium and pancreatic cells interaction and its possible mass transport.