BBDC Newsletter
| BBDC NEWS | Vol. 12, No. 1 -- September 2011 |
|---|
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
BBDC DEVELOPING A LONG-TERM VISION AND STRATEGY
As newly appointed Director of the BBDC, one of my first priorities
is to develop a long-range vision and strategy for the Centre, building
on a few key recommendations from our recent external review (http://www.bbdc.org/pdf/Reviewers'Report.pdf
). It is clear from this review and from my conversations with
many of our members and key stakeholders in the diabetes community that
the Centre has real potential to connect the large concentration of
assets in diabetes research, education, prevention and clinical care in
a more transformational way. We have, therefore, just launched an
intensive planning process to identify how to take the Centre to the
next level. I shy away from calling it a “strategic plan” because
I want to signal that this is not a rubber stamp process for the purpose
of creating a document for wide distribution. The aim is to take a
disciplined and rigorous approach to agreeing on what the BBDC wants to
be, and then to chart out the key activities and the path to get there
over the next 5 years. To support us in this process we are
partnering with a strategy consultant, Dr. Zayna Khayat, head of SECOR
Consulting’s health and life science practice, and a former doctoral
student in the diabetes field from the Faculty of Medicine. Zayna
and her small team will facilitate the planning process and they will
help bring the best thinking and information to bear so we can make
important decisions about our direction.
Over the next few months BBDC members (i.e.
faculty and health professionals) will be contacted directly by Zayna to
solicit your opinion about specific aspects of the BBDC. For those not
contacted directly, everyone will have an opportunity to provide input
into the process at the half day planning retreat we are organizing
for the morning of Friday, November 25, 2011 (date changed from
November 11) at a downtown Toronto location (SAVE THIS DATE).
This is a critically important process, the results of which will have
great bearing on the activities of the BBDC over the next 10 years.
I am asking all BBDC members to participate actively in the process of
planning the role that the BBDC plays as a resource for diabetes
research, education and innovations in clinical care. If
you are specifically interested in being involved in a larger capacity,
please contact me at
gary.lewis@uhn.ca or directly reach out to Zayna at
zkhayat@secorgroup.com, and
she will follow up with you. We are very excited about beginning
this journey, and will provide updates to our members and broader
stakeholders as the planning process unfolds over the coming 10 to 12
weeks.
Sincerely,
Gary Lewis, MD
Director
BBDC WELCOMES NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Tony Lam has been
appointed to the new position of BBDC Associate Director,
Research. He replaces Dr. Patricia Brubaker who has stepped
down as Chair of the Research Committee after 13 years. Dr. Lam
will chair the Research Committee and will also play a key role in
setting the scientific direction of the BBDC. He will also be
appointed to the BBDC Executive Committee. Dr. Lam brings
outstanding research credentials to this new role. He is currently
Associate Professor, Departments of Physiology and Medicine, and
Scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute. He also holds
the John Kitson McIvor Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research and a Canada
Research Chair in Obesity, University of Toronto. Please join us in
congratulating Dr. Tony Lam on his new appointment.
We are also pleased to announce that Dr. Rene Wong has been
appointed Interim Chair of the BBDC Care and Education Committee.
Dr. Wong replaces Dr. Jacqueline James who has stepped down after 10
years as Chair. Dr. Wong is currently a Clinician Educator and
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, and staff physician in the
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University Health Network
(Toronto General Hospital). He will also be appointed to the BBDC
Executive Committee. A formal search for the permanent position of
BBDC Associate Director, Care and Education, which will replace the
position of Chair of the Care and Education Committee, will be conducted
early next year. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rene Wong on
his new interim appointment.
It gives us great pleasure to introduce to you the incoming members
of the BBDC Executive Committee:
Dr. Khosrow Adeli, Representative of Basic Science Departments,
Faculty of Medicine
Dr. Alison Buchan, Vice Dean, Research and International Relations,
Faculty of Medicine
Dr. George Fantus, Director, BBDC Core Laboratory (current
committee member)
Dr. Richard Gilbert, Representative of Clinical Departments, Faculty
of Medicine
Dr. Tony Lam, Associate Director, Research, BBDC (position
formerly Chair, Research Committee)
Dr. Gary Lewis, BBDC Director and Executive Committee chair
Dr. Rene Wong, Interim Chair, BBDC Care and Education Committee
We would like to thank all outgoing members of the Executive
Committee for their many years of dedicated service to the BBDC and for
steering and guiding the BBDC into becoming the world class centre for
diabetes research, education and care that it is today. In
particular we would like to acknowledge Dr. Daniel Drucker's superb
leadership as Director of the BBDC, and Dr. Patricia Brubaker’s and Dr.
Jacqueline James' tireless and outstanding leadership of the Research
and the Care and Education Committees respectively. (Information on
the Executive Committee’s mandate can be found in the ABOUT US section
of our website at
http://www.bbdc.org/aboutUs/index.htm ).
UPCOMING EVENTS
BBDC SEMINAR SERIES 2011/2012
The BBDC will be hosting three diabetes-related seminars which are
held in conjunction with City-wide Endocrine Rounds. The seminars are
held on selected Friday mornings from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Mount Sinai
Hospital, Lebovic Building, 60 Murray Street, 3rd floor conference room.
Faculty wishing to meet with any of the visiting speakers should contact
Dr. Tony Lam at
tony.lam@uhnres.utoronto.ca . Speakers will include:
|
Friday, October 21, 2011 |
Obesity: The Skinny on Fat
Synthesis Robert V. Farese, Jr., MD Senior Investigator, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Biophysics University of California, San Francisco |
|
Friday, February 17, 2012 |
Branched Chain Amino Acid Sensing
in Diabetes Christopher B. Newgard, PhD Director, Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center W. David and Sarah W. Stedman Distinguished Professor Duke University Medical Center |
|
Friday, April 20, 2012 |
Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis
by the Bone Gerard Karsenty, MD, PhD Professor and Chair, Department of Genetics and Development Columbia University Medical Center |
2ND ANNUAL DIABETES AND ENDOCRINOLOGY UPDATE FOR
FAMILY PHYSICIANS
The University of Toronto's Division of
Endocrinology & Metabolism together with the Banting & Best Diabetes
Centre will be hosting the 2nd Annual Diabetes and
Endocrinology Update for Family Physicians on Friday, September 23,
2011 at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Toronto. This
accredited, one-day continuing education event is targeted to health
care providers in primary care. The course will focus on the provision
of practical approaches to the diagnosis and management of endocrine
disorders including diabetes, osteoporosis, thyroid disease,
hyperparathyroidism, pituitary disease and adrenal disease. Over 50% of
the course will be devoted to small-group, interactive activities with
opportunities to interact with local faculty speakers from the
University of Toronto Division of Endocrinology. Due to the emphasis on
small-group learning, registration will be limited to 100 participants.
The complete program and registration information are
available at http://sites.cepdtoronto.ca/diabetesendocrinology/ .
DIABETES: 90 YEARS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF INSULIN
The Gairdner Foundation will be hosting this
symposium on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at the MaRS Centre, 101
College Street, Toronto. Speakers will include Drs. Marc Donath,
Daniel Drucker, Jeffrey Friedman, Joseph Goldstein, Andrew Hattersley,
C. Ronald Kahn, Amira Klip and Bernard Zinman. The full program
is available at
http://www.gairdner.org/calendar/diabetes90yearsafterthediscoveryofinsulin.
There is no fee, however, advance registration is required by
contacting Nora Cox at
nora@gairdner.org .
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
PILOT GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO DIABETES
EDUCATION, MANAGEMENT AND CARE 2012/2013
This program provides funding of up to $20,000 per
applicant for pilot projects which are one to two years in length.
It is intended to support novel and innovative research initiatives in
the following general areas: i) Diabetes care delivery ii) Evaluation
of diabetes education programs iii) Practical issues in diabetes
management. It is designed to encourage new academic research
activities that would not usually be supported by traditional granting
processes. Specifically, we invite applications from frontline
diabetes health care professionals working in University of Toronto
affiliated institutions. To be eligible to apply, the principal
applicant must be a health care professional whose primary
appointment/employment (more than 50% of total salary) is with a
University of Toronto affiliated institution or with the University of
Toronto. Staff at both fully and community affiliated University of
Toronto institutions are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants
include physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers, pharmacists and
others on the front line of diabetes care. The principal applicant
must be a registered member* of the BBDC. In order to determine if
proposals meet the eligibility guidelines of this funding program,
applicants must first submit a 1-page letter of intent and brief
estimated budget to the BBDC by 5 p.m., September 27, 2011.
For complete award details and application instructions, please see the
following web page:
http://www.bbdc.org/fundingOpp/pilot.htm .
TRAINEE TRAVEL AWARDS 2011/2012 (PERIOD 1)
FOR TRAVEL OCCURRING BETWEEN JULY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2011
Awards of up to $1,000 (Canadian) are available to trainees who will
be traveling to a national or international meeting between July 1 and
December 31, 2011 to present a first-author abstract. The content
of the abstract must specifically state the direct relevance of the work
to diabetes. At the time of abstract submission to the meeting,
the applicant must be either: A) a registered University of Toronto
graduate, undergraduate or medical student; B) a post-doctoral
fellow having received a PhD within the last 5 years; or C) a
medical resident or clinical fellow having received an MD within the
last 9 years. The applicant’s supervisor must hold a full-time
faculty appointment with the University of Toronto and must also be a
registered member* of the BBDC at the time of application submission.
Applications must be received by 5 p.m., October 4, 2011.
For complete award details and application instructions please see the
following web page:
http://www.bbdc.org/fundingOpp/travel.htm .
REUBEN & HELENE DENNIS SCHOLAR IN DIABETES RESEARCH 2012-2014
This award is intended to support a new
investigator in the early stage of his/her career. The award
provides $10,000/year for two years and is to be used for diabetes
research support and/or the salary of a clinician-scientist conducting
diabetes-related research. To be eligible, the applicant
must be a principal investigator who holds or will hold a full-time
faculty appointment at the University of Toronto as of July 1, 2012.
Faculty are eligible for this funding normally within five years
of their first faculty appointment at any university. The applicant must
be conducting diabetes-related research and must be a registered member*
of the BBDC, although membership is not required for those who do not
currently hold a U of T faculty appointment but expect to by July 1,
2012. Applications must be received by
5 p.m., October 12, 2011. For complete
award details and application instructions please see the following web
page:
http://www.bbdc.org/fundingOpp/dennis&new.htm
.
DIABETES EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD 2011
Each year the BBDC presents one award to an individual who has
demonstrated outstanding efforts and achievements in his/her role as a
diabetes educator. This award is meant to recognize those who
educate at the patient/client and community/professional levels.
Candidates must be nominated for the award by a health care
professional. To be eligible, the nominee must be a full or part-time
diabetes educator or other health care professional employed by a
University of Toronto-affiliated institution. Educators
at both fully and
community affiliated University of Toronto institutions are eligible to
be nominated. The nominee must have a minimum 3 years of
full or part-time experience as a diabetes educator.
Nominations must be received by 5 p.m., November 22, 2011. For
complete award details and nomination instructions please see the
following web page: http://www.bbdc.org/fundingOpp/educator.htm
.
UPCOMING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:
Information on the following programs will be posted on the BBDC’s
web in November:
- Charles Hollenberg Summer Studentships 2012. Application
deadline: January 24, 2012
- Annual Trainee Awards 2011/2012. Application deadline: January
31, 2012
- BBDC Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Fellowships in Diabetes Care
2012/2013. Application deadline: February 22, 2012.
*Those who are new to the field of diabetes
research, education or care and are not members of the BBDC can request
free membership by contacting the Centre prior to submitting an
application. For more information about BBDC Membership, please
view the MEMBERSHIP section of our web site at
http://www.bbdc.org/membership/index.htm.
AWARD RESULTS**
GRADUATE STUDENTSHIPS 2011/2012
Banting & Best Diabetes Centre-Novo Nordisk Studentships:
| Student | Supervisor | Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| Jasleen Chahal |
Dr. Patricia Brubaker |
Role of Rspondin-1 in beta-cell
neogenesis |
| Li-Hao Chen |
Dr. Andrew Advani |
Exploring the therapeutic potential
of SDF-1 modulation in diabetic nephropathy |
| Simon Chiang |
Dr. Adria Giacca |
The effect of insulin on
atherosclerosis and restenosis |
| Jolynn Dickson |
Dr. Anthony Hanley |
The Effect of Coffee Consumption on
Lipoprotein Particle Size and Concentration |
| Xiao Man (Charlotte) Dong |
Dr. Patricia Brubaker |
The role of the intestinal
epithelial insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in the
development of metabolic inflammation |
| Alexander Ivovic |
Dr. Adria Giacca |
The roles of IKKβ and ‘β-cell
insulin resistance’ in β-cell glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity in
vivo |
| Sean McFadden |
Dr. Denise Belsham |
Understanding the Molecular Events
Involved in Leptin Action and Resistance in the Brain |
| Jonathan Menchella |
Dr. Denise Belsham |
Insulin signaling in the
hypothalamus: Effects of Insulin resistance |
| Meghan Sauvé |
Dr. Steffen-Sebastian Bolz |
Diabetes promotes tumor necrosis
factor alpha-dependent microvascular dysfunction |
| Sally Yu Shi |
Dr. Minna Woo |
The role of hepatic JAK2 in the
pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease |
| Wylie Tan |
Dr. Carol Westall |
Structural and Functional Markers
of Neuro-retinal Complications in Adolescents with Type 1
Diabetes |
| Christopher Yau |
Dr. Jayne Danska |
Type 1 Diabetes Protection by
Manipulation of the Gut Microflora |
BBDC-University Health Network Graduate Awards:
| Student |
Supervisor(s) |
Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| Xinyi Huang |
Dr. Michael Wheeler |
The Role of Mitochondrial
Permeability Transition (MPT) in Islet Function: Mitochondrial
Uncoupler or Cell Death Modulator? |
| Patricia Mighiu |
Dr. Tony Lam |
Dissecting hypothalamic glucagon
signaling in the regulation of glucose homeostasis |
| Yin Kwan Aaron Ming |
Dr. Jonathan Rocheleau |
Glucose modulated beta-cell
coupling in pancreatic islets through PKA phosphorylation of
connexin36 |
| Brittany Rasmussen |
Dr. Tony Lam |
Leptin Action in a gut-brain axis |
| Krishana Sankar |
Dr. Jonathan Rocheleau |
The effect of hypoxic
preconditioning and flow on pancreatic islet graft
revascularization and function post-transplantation in diabetic
mouse model |
| Anu Shah |
Dr. I. George Fantus and Dr. Susan
Quaggin |
The Role of Thioredoxin Interacting
Protein (TXNIP) in the Development of Diabetic Nephropathy |
Tamarack Graduate Award in Diabetes Research:
| Student |
Supervisor(s) |
Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| Wing Hui |
Dr. Xiao-Yan Wen and Dr. Tianru Jin |
Development of a novel Zebrafish
system to screen potential anti-diabetic drugs |
Yow Kam-Yuen Graduate Scholarship in Diabetes
Research:
| Student |
Supervisor |
Title of Research |
| Odisho Israel |
Dr. Tianru Jin |
Mechanisms Underlying the
Expression and Function of Thioredoxin-interacting Protein (TxNIP)
in Pancreatic Beta-cells |
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS 2011/2012
| Applicant | Supervisor | Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| Irina Brokhman |
Dr. Derek van der Kooy |
The mammalian intestine contains
separate neural crest and pancreas derived stem cells |
| Applicant |
Supervisor |
Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| Danna Breen |
Dr. Tony K. T. Lam |
The metabolic impact of jejunal nutrient-sensing and its relevance in gastric
bypass surgery |
| Satya Dash |
Dr. Gary Lewis |
Role of glucagon like peptides in intestinal lipoprotein metabolism |
| Subhankar Dolai |
Dr. Herbert Gaisano |
Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of Munc 18b mediated insulin exocytosis
and rescue of defective insulin secretion in Type 2 diabetes |
| Cynthia Luk |
Dr. Minna Woo |
The role of FAK in insulin resistance and adipocyte differentiation |
BBDC Fellowships in Diabetes Care:
| Applicant |
Supervisor |
Title of Research |
|---|---|---|
| Iyer Sundararaman Krithika |
Dr. Esteban Parra |
Replication of GWA study signals for type 2 diabetes and lipid traits in a
sample from Mexico |
| Chee-Tin Christine Lee |
Dr. Anthony Hanley |
The role of nutritional factors in the progression of insulin resistance and
pancreatic bet-cell dysfunction |
| Leigh Anne Wellhauser |
Dr. Denise Belsham |
Insulin Signaling in the Hypothalamus: Effects of Insulin Resistance |
**An essential condition of all BBDC programs is
the acknowledgement of BBDC support, where appropriate, in all
publications and presentations relevant to the BBDC-supported research
program. Failure to appropriately acknowledge the BBDC in relevant
publications and presentations will be considered grounds for suspending
future eligibility for BBDC funding programs.
BBDC CORE LABORATORY
The BBDC Core Laboratory provides analytical and technical support to
the University of Toronto diabetes research community. A wide
range of research quality assays and services are provided for
investigator initiated clinical or basic research as well as for
industry sponsored trials. Please see the Core Laboratory section
of the BBDC’s web site at
http://www.bbdc.org/laboratories/index.htm for a complete
description of assays and services currently available.
BBDC 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. Staff at both fully and partially affiliated institutions are eligible to apply for membership. For more information about BBDC membership, please view the MEMBERSHIP section of our web site at http://www.bbdc.org/membership/index.htm.
BBDC News is
published in September, December, March and June of each year.
Current and past issues are available on our web site at
www.bbdc.org/newsletter/index.htm.
DIRECTOR: GARY LEWIS, MD, FRCPC
Banting & Best Diabetes Centre
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Located at the Toronto General Hospital
200 Elizabeth Street
Eaton Building, 12th Floor, Room 12E248
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4
Phone: (416) 978-4656 • Fax: (416) 978-4108
E-mail:
diabetes.bbdc@utoronto.ca • Web site:
www.bbdc.org