George L. King, MD, Receives American Diabetes Association's Edwin Bierman Award

-- King to be Presented with Award at World's Largest Diabetes Meeting --

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Apr 29, 2015, 09:00 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Diabetes Association will present the Edwin Bierman Award to George L. King, MD. This award recognizes a leading scientist who has made outstanding contributions in the field of diabetes-related macrovascular complications and risk factors. Dr. King will be recognized with this honor at the Association's 75^th Scientific Sessions^®, taking place June 5-9, 2015, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston.

Currently Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, and Head of the Section on Vascular Cell Biology at the Joslin Diabetes Center, as well as Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. King was trained in residency by Edwin Bierman. He began work on cardiovascular disease in 1981 and pioneered the use of cultured vascular cells to identify targets for insulin action and the effects of hyperglycemia on cardiovascular diseases. Through this line of work, Dr. King found that loss of insulin action in the vascular tissue could be the cause for the accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes and insulin resistance states.

With more than 270 publications and more than 100 trainees, Dr. King has continued Edwin Bierman's legacy and made significant contributions to our understanding of diabetes and atherosclerosis. Dr. King leads the Joslin Medalist Study, a study to identify protective factors against the development of vascular complications in a large group of people who have had type 1 diabetes for 50 years or more. He has also conducted important studies on the causes of diabetic retinopathy and for high rates of diabetes in Asian Americans.

Dr. King will deliver the Edwin Bierman Award Lecture "Can Insulin's Vascular Actions be Anti-Atherogenic?" on Sunday, June 7.

More than 14,000 top scientists, physicians and other health care professionals from around the world will share the latest cutting-edge research and learn the most up-to-date information on prevention, treatment and care, at the Association's Scientific Sessions.

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes^® and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For the past 75 years, our mission has been to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.

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SOURCE American Diabetes Association