October 12, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Diabetes researchers and clinicians from around the world will be at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center next month to discuss the latest in diabetes research and treatment at the second Global Diabetes Summit.
The conference will be held Nov. 14-16 at the Ohio Union on The Ohio State University campus, where international diabetes experts will present the latest diabetes research and formulate an interdisciplinary road map for prevention, detection, management and treatment of Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.
The summit, “New Horizons in Diabetes: Genetic to Personalized Health Care,” is expected to attract more than 800 health care professionals. A variety of diabetes physicians, researchers and advocates will present research findings on diabetes technology, cellular and tissue therapies, islet cell therapy, pharmacology, pregnancy and cardiovascular disease and other relevant topics. Notable speakers include:
- Ann Albright, PhD, RD – Director of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will discuss the research behind the U.S. National Diabetes Prevention Program.
- Jean–Claude Mbanya, MD, PhD, FRCP – President, International Diabetes Federation, will focus on the global pandemic of obesity and diabetes in adults, include epidemiological solutions and challenges, and the global economic impact of diabetes.
- Vivian Fonseca, MD, FRCP – President, American Diabetes Association, will discuss future oral anti-diabetic medications.
- Griffin Rodgers, MD, MBA, MACP – Director, The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, will present on genomics and diabetes.
On Nov. 17, the final day of the summit, the Community Day– the largest of its kind in the Midwest – will be held to give community members the opportunity to ask one-on-one questions in self-care sessions about diabetes management and concerns. Panels featuring experts and hands-on workshops will bridge the educational gap for patients and their family members most affected by diabetes. Celebrity guests Dominique Wilkins, NBA Hall of Fame legend and vice president of basketball for the Atlanta Hawks; and Oscar Joyner, president and chief operating officer of REACH Media, Inc., will speak about personal battles with diabetes and management of their disease. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at Franklin County Veterans Memorial, 300 W. Broad St., but registration is required. To register, go to: go.osu.edu/GDScommunity.
The issues, discoveries and strategies discussed at the summit will impact the work of researchers, providers, policymakers, stakeholders and health care agencies in the United States and around the world.
The Global Diabetes Summit is hosted by Ohio State Wexner Medical Center’s Diabetes Research Center which, under the direction of Dr. Kwame Osei, provides innovative research, patient care and education programs focused on improving diabetes control, prevention and providing a cure for those with diabetes. The interdisciplinary center conducts clinical trials and performs basic research associated with islet cell, pancreas and kidney transplantation.
Diabetes and its complications are major causes of early death in most countries. In 2011, approximately 4.6 million people ages 20-79 died from diabetes, accounting for 8.2 percent of global all-cause mortality of people in this age group. Additionally, diabetes adds a significant cost to health systems, costing the United States $174 billion annually, according to the American Diabetes Association.
For more information about the Summit, go to: diabetesresearch.osu.edu.
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Contact: Gina Bericchia, Wexner Medical Center Public Affairs & Media Relations, 614-293-3737, Gina.Berichia@osumc.edu