Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 9.5 million people globally and, as of now, there is no cure. For unknown reasons, Type 1 diabetes is caused when the immune system begins to attack its own pancreas, destroying insulin-producing cells, and leaving those with the disease unable to produce insulin or regulate their blood sugar. Without daily insulin therapy, individuals with Type 1 diabetes can become very ill and face life-threatening complications.
But at the IU School of Medicine, alongside IU’s dedicated research scientists, there is a triple-major undergraduate student who is diligently charting a course toward understanding the complex nature of Type 1 diabetes.
Yashaswini Battina is a senior at Indiana University Indianapolis who has successfully balanced her undergraduate studies across three majors: neuroscience, psychology and French.
“Although the combination of neuroscience, psychology and French may seem strange at first, all three areas allow me to work on different skills relating to my future aspirations of becoming a physician,” Battina said.
Battina initially intended to pursue a career in neuroscience, but during her junior year, she began an internship as an undergraduate researcher through the IU Indianapolis Life-Health Sciences Internship Program. The program gives carefully selected interns the opportunity to become involved in hands-on research and develop their professional skills in a cohesive team environment.
Battina interned in the lab of Amelia K. Linnemann, PhD, an associate professor of pediatrics at IU, and her interest began to pivot towards diabetes research. After completing a successful year-long internship with Linnemann, who is also a diabetes researcher at the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research and the Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Battina was offered to stay on as a part-time employee, thanks to generous support from the Riley Children’s Foundation and donors committed to advancing learning opportunities for undergraduate student researchers.
“Yashu has been an outstanding asset to my team and has grown tremendously during her time in the lab,” Linnemann said. “She has managed and developed her own project with minimal guidance, and I anticipate she will achieve a first-author publication before leaving for medical school in summer 2026.”
During the 2025 Wells Center Retreat, Battina presented a research project that she recently led alongside other undergraduate, graduate and PhD students. The study was entitled, “Characterizing the Role of b-Cell Autophagy and Endocytic Processes in Type 1 Diabetes.”
In this study, Battina and her team wanted to understand why the insulin producing beta cells in people with Type 1 diabetes are targeted by the immune system. Her work builds on previous studies in the lab showing that these beta cells are less effective in a process called autophagy, which all cells rely on to remove damaged and defective proteins. The team discovered that by knocking out autophagy in mouse models, a protein called Rab11b, that is important for normal function and survival of the beta cells, is lower in the lab mice.
Battina’s interest in practicing medicine and research under the pediatric canopy has not only developed during the valuable time she spent in the Linnemann lab, but also because of her own journey with Type 1 diabetes. She was diagnosed when she was 10 years old.
“My personal experiences have really shaped my interests in wanting to work with children, in particular, knowing the different struggles that come with dealing with a chronic condition,” she said.
Battina’s next step is applying to medical school so she can achieve her goal of dedicating her career to clinical research and bring new discoveries to the people who are most affected.
