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Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Research Forum

The EFF Research Forum is a Continuing Medical Education Program for Junior Faculty and Fellows organized in conjunction with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The program is usually held in the Dallas, Texas area and selection for this program is based on EFF grant applications and availability. Expert Faculty include: Silva Arslanian, MD; Charles Burant, MD, PhD; Ralph A. DeFronzo, MD; Derek LeRoith, MD, PhD; and Program Chair Mark W. Stolar, MD. The 2021 program was held virtually Saturday, February 6 and included presentations by these EFF Grant Awardees. Samantha Adamson, MD, PhD Aberrant calcium signaling and insulin secretion in beta cells that lack primary cilia
Anastasia-Stefania Alexopoulos, MD Glycemic Control Predicts Severity of Hepatocyte Ballooning and Hepatic Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. (NAFLD)
Ryan Brady, MD Prevalence and Characteristics of Potentially Undiagnosed and Uncontrolled Celiac Disease in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
Brittany Bruggeman, MD Mechanisms of Exocrine Dysfunction in Type 1 Diabetes
Arwa Elsheikh, MBBS Epinephrine is Essential for Normal Renal Glucose Reabsorption via the Glucose Transporter GLUT2
Jacob Kohlenberg, MD The Threshold for Fasting Insulin Secretion is Independent of the Beta-Cell Secretory Response to Glucose in Nondiabetic Humans
Melissa Lechner, MD, PhD Determining the Immune Significance of Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer to Improve Treatment for Thyroid Cancer Patients
Lauren Richter, MD Targeted Delivery of Notch Inhibitor Attenuates Obesity-Induced Glucose Intolerance and Liver Fibrosis
Ankit Shah, MD Glycerol Contribution to Hepatic Gluconeogenesis: A Stable Isotope Study
Gregory Westcott, MD Role of the Mesothelium in Visceral Adipose Tissue Development and Dysfunction
Rong Mei Zhang, MD Acute Hyperglycemia In Vivo Promotes a Proatherogenic Monocyte Phenotype The following Fellows presented posters of their research. Julie-Catherine Coll, MD Factors Associated with Low Bone Mineral Density in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study Felona Gunawan, MD Exploring the Role of Non-Esterified Fatty Acids in Brain Glucose Metabolism in Obesity Christine March, MD Time in School meets Time in Range: Glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes during school hours
Nam Phan, MD, PhD Using reversible alpha cell ablation to determine the role of alpha cells in pancreatic islet cell integrity and maintenance Mohamed Saleh, MD Pancreatic intraductal Pdx1 and MafA treatment reverses hyperglycemia and improves insulin sensitivity in obesity induce hyperglycemia mouse model Effie Tsomos, MD An oral GnRH antagonist to treat autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) due to adrenal adenomas in postmenopausal women

Learning Objectives

  • Identify new areas of diabetes and cardiometabolic disorder research that offer new inroads to effective therapies.
  • Identify key components to be included in diabetes and cardiometabolic disorders, basic science, and clinical research.
  • Discuss research study designs that may improve on current approaches to the management of diabetes and cardiometabolic disorders.
  • Enhance skills in scientific thought and discussion through mentor and group-driven discussion of research and presentations.
  • Develop skills in generating a research grant proposal from hypothesis generation to grant submission.
  • Demonstrate how to generate research hypotheses de novo and build into a real-time project under the direction of an expert faculty mentor.
  • Develop a better understanding of "what it takes" to become an expert researcher in diabetes and cardiometabolic disease and to develop a career in academic medicine.
  • Enhance research presentation skills in a peer-reviewed setting.

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Endocrine Fellows Foundation. The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

2021 Credit Designation Statement:

The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Educational Support

This educational activity is supported by unrestricted educational grants from: AstraZeneca and Medtronic.
2020 Forum Working Groups
Endocrine Fellow Foundation
860.586.7574
2321 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, PO Box 310, Marion, CT 06444
EFF is a 501c(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to foster the advancement of fellows in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism through mentoring, education, research funding and career support.
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