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Contributions to the 84th Scientific Sessions

Many members of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research participated at the American Diabetes Association‘s 84th Scientific Sessions, which took place in Orlando, Florida from June 21-24. Those members include Esmeralda Castelblanco Echavarria, PhD; Kai Jones, MD; Jeffrey R. Millman, PhD; Max C. Petersen, MD, PhD; R. Mei Zhang, MD; and Wei Zhang, PhD.

As the world’s largest meeting on diabetes, the sessions have welcomed colleagues and experts from over 115 countries to promote collaboration and scientific advancement in the field. The sessions encompassed eight theme areas that allowed attendees to learn about the latest scientific findings, groundbreaking research presentations, and to experience the exhibit and poster halls with the intention of accelerating the progression toward diabetes prevention and finding a cure.

Division Participants

Esmeralda Castelblanco Echavarria, PhD
Esmeralda Castelblanco Echavarria, PhD

Poster Presentation 
Theme Area: Clinical and Preclinical Pancreas Immunology and Islet function
Session: Beta Cell Signal Transduction  
Restoring beta-cell Mass and Identity in KATP-Induced Neonatal Diabetes – The Synergy of Autophagy and Intermittent Fasting   

Kai Jones, MD 

Oral Presentation 
Theme Area: Clinical Diabetes/Therapeutics 
Session: “New Technology—What’s New?” 
Breath Acetone Correlates with Capillary Beta Hydroxybutyrate in Type 1 Diabetes

Jeffrey R. Millman, PhD 

Oral Presentation 
Theme Area: Immunology/Beta-Cell Replacement  
Session: The “Barrier Reef”—Overcoming Hurdles to Beta-Cell Replacement Therapies  Overcoming Islet Scarcity through In Vitro Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells 

Dr. Jeffrey Millman (second from the left) joined other panelists at ADA 84th Scientific Sessions.

Dr. Millman also participated in an expert panel discussing the heterogeneity of type 1 diabetes (T1D), covering topics such as beta cell pathology, T1D prevention, and insulin replacement. He was one of the experts selected to later present a summary of the panel discussion. In addition, Dr. Millman joined a public panel on the subject and will be co-authoring a review article with his co-panelists to further disseminate their findings.

Max C. Petersen, MD, PhD 

Poster Presentation 
Theme Area: Insulin Action/Molecular Metabolism  
Session: Metabolite Transport and Molecular Metabolism 
Effect of Dapagliflozin on Blood and Breath Ketones During Supervised Insulin Withdrawal in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes 

Oral Presentatio
Theme Area: Obesity/Integrated Physiology  
Session: Risk Factors Reimagined—Beyond Obesity in Metabolic Risk  
Plasma Lipidome in People with Insulin-Sensitive and Insulin-Resistant Obesity 

Mei Zhang, MD
R. Mei Zhang, MD 

Poster Presentation 
Theme Area: Behavioral Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Education, and Exercise  
Session: Type 2 Diabetes and Exercise—Where Do We Stand?  
Acute Hyperglycemia Induces Human Podocyte Apoptosis by Increasing Monocyte Release of TNF-a Through ER Stress/ROS Activation of ADAM17/iRhom2 Expression 

Wei Zhang, PhD 

Oral Presentation  
Theme Area: Insulin Action/Molecular Metabolism  
Session: Novel Regulators of Insulin Action and Insulin Sensitivity 
Depalmitoylation Inhibition Improves Glucose Tolerance by Promoting Endothelial Insulin Transcytosis 

Additionally, Dr. Zhang was named a recipient of the Young Investigator Award and received one of the top scores within the program.