NEW: Brown Biochemist Receives $1.625M Award for Diabetes Research
Thursday, January 09, 2014
Brown biochemistry researcher, Wolfgang Peti has won a $1.625 million, 5-year “Accelerator Award” from the American Diabetes Association as part of its Pathway to Stop Diabetes initiative. Peti is one of only five researchers around the country to win an ADA Accelerator Award this year.
“Today, nearly one in eight American adults is living with diabetes, and diagnosed diabetes costs our nation $245 billion each year. The problem of diabetes is unprecedented, so our solution must match it,” said C. Ronald Kahn, MD, Chairman of the Pathway Mentor Advisory Group, American Diabetes Association. “Through identifying and supporting innovative researchers, Pathway to Stop Diabetes is designed to radically transform diabetes research, setting us on the road to breakthrough discoveries, and ultimately a cure to this deadly disease.”
Peti studies the structure, motions, and interactions of proteins at the atomic scale, using tools such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. He’ll apply his expertise to type 2 diabetes, an epidemic that has touched his family. His ambitious goal is to help develop drugs to improve the body’s insulin signaling so that insulin injections become unnecessary.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTPathway scientists were selected by the Association’s Pathway Mentor Advisory Group—a group of eminent scientists who selected the awardees using the core elements for exceptional science: rigorous thought processes, keen intellect, and the capacity for innovation and creativity. In addition to participating in the selection process, the Mentor Advisors will provide ongoing scientific and career advice to the selected scientists throughout the duration of the awards, creating a challenging environment for transformative science to thrive.
Related Slideshow: New England’s Healthiest States 2013
The United Health Foundation recently released its 2013 annual reoprt: America's Health Rankings, which provides a comparative state by state analysis of several health measures to provide a comprehensive perspective of our nation's health issues. See how the New England states rank in the slides below.
Definitions
All Outcomes Rank: Outcomes represent what has already occurred, either through death, disease or missed days due to illness. In America's Health Rankings, outcomes include prevalence of diabetes, number of poor mental or physical health days in last 30 days, health disparity, infant mortality rate, cardiovascular death rate, cancer death rate and premature death. Outcomes account for 25% of the final ranking.
Determinants Rank: Determinants represent those actions that can affect the future health of the population. For clarity, determinants are divided into four groups: Behaviors, Community and Environment, Public and Health Policies, and Clinical Care. These four groups of measures influence the health outcomes of the population in a state, and improving these inputs will improve outcomes over time. Most measures are actually a combination of activities in all four groups.
Diabetes Rank: Based on percent of adults who responded yes to the question "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?" Does not include pre-diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.
Smoking Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are current smokers (self-report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke).
Obesity Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher.
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