Long-Term Plan Announced for Diabetes Research

By Joyce Frieden, News Editor, MedPage Today

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has announced its 10-year strategic plan for diabetes research.

"By setting priorities and identifying the most compelling research opportunities, the strategic plan will guide NIH, other federal agencies, and the investigative community in efforts to improve diabetes treatments and identify ways to keep more people healthy," NIDDK Director Griffin P. Rodgers, MD, said in a statement.

The strategic plan covers a number of areas, including:

• The relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes, and how both conditions may be affected by genetics and environment
• Autoimmune mechanisms at work in type 1 diabetes
• The biology of beta cells
• Development of artificial pancreas technologies to improve management of blood sugar levels
• Prevention of complications
• Reduction of the impact of diabetes on groups disproportionately affected by the disease, including the elderly and racial and ethnic minorities

The NIDDK plans to continue its emphasis on clinical trials in humans, "which already [have] led to highly effective methods for managing diabetes and preventing complications," Rodgers said.

Within each broad area, the strategic plan lists some specific areas of focus.

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