More than 1 million people in Mexico suffer from diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1), in which pancreatic islet cells have been damaged so that they cannot make insulin to regulate body glucose levels. Today DM1 is the most frequent metabolic disorder affecting infants and young people in Mexico. The diabetes has to be treated with life-long, daily injections of insulin and often leads to serious health complications that affect quality of life. Pancreatic islet transplantation can help to control the diabetes in adults who have problems regulating their condition with insulin and hence make an immediate impact on their quality of life; we aim to help establish an islet isolation and transplant programme in Mexico. In addition, an innovative preclinical study will assess the strategy of using stem cell and gene therapies to enhance the effectiveness and success of islet transplantation programmes in both the UK and Mexico, and these aim to help overcome the current problems associated with islet cellular injury and rejection. The longer term benefits of the research and innovation programme will be realised through continuing collaboration between UK-Mexico research groups.