Domenico Accili, MD, Receives American Diabetes Association's 2017 Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement

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May 04, 2017, 08:23 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., May 4, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Domenico Accili, MD, is the recipient of the American Diabetes Association^® (Association) 2017 Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement, the Association's highest honor. The Banting Medal recognizes outstanding, long-term contributions to the understanding, treatment or prevention of diabetes. Dr. Accili will be recognized with this honor during the Association's 77^th Scientific Sessions, June 9-13, 2017, at the San Diego Convention Center, and will deliver the Banting Medal Lecture, titled "The New Biology of Diabetes," on Sunday, June 11.

Currently the Russell Berrie Foundation Professor of Diabetes, Chief of the Endocrinology Division, and Director of the Diabetes Research Center at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Accili is highly regarded for transformative findings that have advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis, or causes and development, of type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Accili has contributed to more than 230 publications and has a body of work that reflects significant, paradigm-shifting discoveries that hold promise for translating novel approaches for diabetes prevention and care. His research has delved into the integrated physiology of insulin action, and mechanisms of pancreatic beta cell failure. Some of Dr. Accili's most important contributions have been in the area of pancreatic beta cell biology, specifically in demonstrating that beta cell failure, long held to be a consequence of cell death, can result from a dedifferentiation process. Through this process, beta cells lose the ability to make insulin, revert to a progenitor stage, and convert to other hormone-producing cells. Dr. Accili is also known for his work to elucidate mechanisms of hepatic glucose production and enteroendocrine cell differentiation.

"Dr. Accili's work has redefined our understanding of diabetes and opened doors to treatments," said the Association's President of Medicine and Science Alvin C. Powers, MD. "Congratulations on this well-deserved honor for your tremendous contributions to our knowledge of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes."

The American Diabetes Association's 77th Scientific Sessions, to be held June 9-13, 2017, at the San Diego Convention Center, is the world's largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes research, prevention and care. During the five-day meeting, health care professionals have exclusive access to more than 2,500 original research presentations, participate in provocative and engaging exchanges with leading diabetes experts, and can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) or Continuing Education (CE) credits for educational sessions. The program is grouped into eight interest areas: Acute and Chronic Complications; Behavioral Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Education and Exercise; Clinical Diabetes/Therapeutics; Epidemiology/Genetics; Immunology/Transplantation; Insulin Action/Molecular Metabolism; Integrated Physiology/Obesity; and Islet Biology/Insulin Secretion. Brenda Montgomery, RN, MSHS, CDE, President of Health Care and Education^{^[1]}, will deliver her address on Saturday, June 10, and Alvin C. Powers, MD, President of Medicine and Science, will present his address on Sunday, June 11. Eight abstracts were selected by the Scientific Sessions Meeting Planning Committee to be presented on Tuesday, June 13, in the President's Oral Session. These abstracts represent important research being conducted in the field of diabetes today. In total, the 2017 Scientific Sessions includes 378 abstracts in 49 oral sessions; 2,152 poster presentations including 50 moderated poster discussions; and 360 published-only abstracts.

About the American Diabetes Association
More than 29 million Americans have diabetes, and every 23 seconds another person is diagnosed with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (Association) is the global authority on diabetes and since 1940 has been committed to its mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. To tackle this global public health crisis, the Association drives discovery in research to treat, manage and prevent all types of diabetes, as well as to search for cures; raises voice to the urgency of the diabetes epidemic; and provides support and advocacy for people living with diabetes, those at risk of developing diabetes, and the health care professionals who serve them. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both of these sources is available in English and Spanish. Find us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

[1] Disclosures for Brenda Montgomery. Employer: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Montgomery's role as President, Health Care & Education of the American Diabetes Association (Association) is a voluntary position to which she was elected by the members of the Association in 2015. She continues to recuse herself from any and all discussions, decisions or votes that have or could be perceived as having a conflict of interest with her employer.

SOURCE American Diabetes Association