Homepage > About Us

About Us

The Banting & Best Diabetes Centre (BBDC) was established in 1978 as an Extra-Departmental Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto with the primary objective of advancing diabetes research, education, and patient care. The BBDC offers several studentships, fellowships, and other support for qualified individuals involved in diabetes research at the University of Toronto and its affiliated institutions. In addition, the Centre hosts educational events for researchers and diabetes health care professionals. The programs of the BBDC are supported almost entirely from the income on its endowment. The BBDC has also received generous donations from industry and individuals which have funded various research programs for students and fellows.

Past and Present Directors:

1978 - 1981: Dr. Edward A. Sellers, a personal friend of Dr. Charles Best, was the first Director.
1981 - 1993: Dr. Charles H. Hollenberg
1993 - 2000: Dr. Bernard Zinman
2000 - June 2011: Dr. Daniel J. Drucker
July 2011 - present: Dr. Gary Lewis

Our Members:

The BBDC membership is a network of individuals involved in diabetes research, education and care from various departments at the University of Toronto and its affiliated institutions. Membership is free and open to individuals involved in full or part-time diabetes research, education, and patient care (i.e. scientists, physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, etc.), and whose primary appointment/employment (more than 50% of total salary) is with the University of Toronto or one of its affiliated institutions. (Postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduate students, research associates and technicians are not eligible for membership; however, they are welcome to join our e-mail distribution list.) The Centre has an expanded e-mail distribution list which includes individuals with diabetes interests located at other universities, employed by industry, or are involved in diabetes health care delivery. For more information, see the Membership section of this web site.

Committees

The administrative structure of the BBDC consists of an Executive Committee, representing various constituencies at the University of Toronto which is chaired by the Director. There are also two major working committees - the Research Committee, and the Care & Education Committee.

Executive Committee

The governance structure of the BBDC consists of a Director and Executive Committee who ensure that the goals of the Centre are appropriately implemented. The Executive Committee provides leadership and representation for the University of Toronto diabetes research and care community. The mandate of the Executive Committee is to:

  • Approve the BBDC’s mission, vision and goals and evaluate progress against the mission, vision and goals
  • Foster diabetes related research, education and clinical care
  • Provide leadership for the University of Toronto diabetes community and advance the BBDC’s programs nationally and internationally
  • Provide broad based representation for the University of Toronto’s various diabetes constituencies
  • Approve the budget of the BBDC and receive reports from the Care and Education Committee, Research Committee, and Core Laboratory

The members are:

Director:  Dr. Gary Lewis, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Dr. Khosrow Adeli, Departments of Biochemistry*, and Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology*
Dr. Alison Buchan, Vice Dean, Research and International Relations, Faculty of Medicine*
Dr. I. George Fantus, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Dr. Richard Gilbert, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Dr. Tony Lam, Departments of Physiology and Medicine*
Dr. Rene Wong, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*

Research Committee

Among its many responsibilities, the Research Committee advises the Executive Committee on new research initiatives to be undertaken by the Centre, implements the scientific review of various BBDC funding programs, and develops the Annual Scientific Day program. The members are:

Associate Director, Research and Chair: Dr. Tony Lam, Departments of Physiology and Medicine*
Dr. Andrew Advani, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Dr. Richard Bazinet, Department of Nutritional Sciences*
Dr. David Cherney, Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology*
Dr. Carolyn Cummins, Faculty of Pharmacy*
Dr. Herbert Gaisano, Departments of Medicine* and Physiology*
Dr. Susan Quaggin, Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology*
Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Dr. Jonathan Rocheleau, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering*

Care & Education Committee

This committee develops and publishes standards for the total health care of diabetic patients in Toronto area hospitals and communicates these standards to health care practitioners nationally. The committee organizes continuing medical education in diabetes for the health care team and reviews applications for various BBDC funding programs. The members are:

Interim Chair:  Dr. Rene Wong, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Mrs. Leigh Caplan, Diabetes Educator, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Ms. Margaret De Melo, Clinical Dietitian, Toronto Western Hospital
Dr. Jeremy Gilbert, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*
Ms. Jan Glozier, Diabetes Educator, North York General Hospital (Branson Division)
Mr. Henry Halapy, Diabetes Pharmacist, St. Michael's Hospital
Dr. Kusiel Perlman, Department of Paediatrics*
Dr. Baiju Shah, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism*

* University of Toronto