The Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute organizes research into programmatic areas.  Click on the links to learn more about the Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute faculty associated with each area.

• Acute and Chronic Complications
  • Programmatic Area Leader: Thomas Gardner, MD, MS
  • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
  • Summary: Diabetes impairs the functions of nerves, blood vessels and parenchyma of organs such as the kidneys, heart, eye, skin, bone and brain. Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute members working in this programmatic area are investigating the impact of systemic metabolic disturbances, including hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, increased amino acids, and insulin deficiency, on the structure and function of these tissues. Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute seeks to promote a highly integrated, collaborative and translational approach to these problems with the goal of improving human outcomes by understanding the fundamental biology of complications in animal models. Specific examples include studies of nutritional manipulations and therapeutic interventions on stroke, cardiac dysfunction, nephropathy and retinopathy. The Penn State Diabetic Retinopathy Research Group, funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Diabetic Retinopathy Center, NIH and American Diabetes Association grants, is one of the world's largest groups focusing on the ocular complications of diabetes.

• Devices, Computers & Imaging in the Prevention & Treatment of Diabetes & Obesity
  • Programmatic Area Leader: Nadine Smith, PhD
  • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
  • Summary: Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute members working in this programmatic area are exploring novel approaches to the development of devises, such as glucose sensors, insulin delivery and/or closed-loop systems for the regulation of blood glucose levels in diabetes. Additional areas include noninvasive imaging systems to aid clinical care and research

• Integrative Physiology of Diabetes and Obesity 
  • Programmatic Area Leader: Christopher Lynch, PhD
  • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
  • Summary: Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute members in this programmatic area are working to understand the mechanisms that lead to obesity, pre-diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.  The research approaches used are broad because the factors underlying obesity and insulin resistance are complex. They include genetic, biochemical, physiological, nutritional, pharmacological, psychological, molecular, cellular, proteomics, genomics and genetic engineering. Some researchers are experts in particular tissues related to obesity and diabetes, such as the pancreatic beta cells that release insulin, whereas others study critical insulin responsive tissues such as liver, muscle and fat, or inflammatory responses that cause insulin resistance. Moreover, some researchers are working to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying insulin action, insulin resistance and obesity with the goal of preventing the conversion of insulin resistance and obesity to Type 2 Diabetes. Their goal is to find novel therapeutic targets, approaches and treatments for the prevention of insulin resistance and obesity as a strategy to prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Other researchers focus on the developmental psychology, neuronal pathways or integrative pathophysiology underlying or impacting obesity, pre-diabetes Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.  

• Lifestyle Modifications and Behavioral Medicine
  • Programmatic area leader: Danielle Downs, PhD
  • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
  • Summary: The Diabetes Prevention Program established that lifestyle modifications can prevent or at least delay the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. However, further research is needed outside the setting of a controlled clinical trial to examine cost-effective strategies for promoting lifestyle modifications among people at risk for or with diabetes. Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute members in this programmatic area focus their efforts on developing theoretically-driven and cost-effective lifestyle interventions to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. These researchers have expertise in behavioral medicine, kinesiology, nutrition, health evaluation sciences, biobehavioral health, human development, psychology, and leisure studies.

• Reinventing Diabetes and Obesity Care
  • Programmatic Area Leader: Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD
  • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
  • Summary: The current healthcare system was designed to provide acute care and it has fallen short in the care of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Although excellent clinical trials provide data to support evidence-based recommendations for diabetes care, national and statewide evaluations indicate that diabetes care falls significantly short in achieving these goals. Penn State Hershey Diabetes and Obesity Institute members in this programmatic area are working toward redesigning the health care delivery system to optimize outcomes for people with diabetes. Research approaches include using specially trained nurses to employ behavior change techniques, telemedicine interactions with patients, computerized registries to provide clinicians within updated information at the time of visit, and broad population disease management approaches.

• Epidemiology, Genetics and Other Aspects of Diabetes and Obesity Care
  • Programmatic Area Contact: Lorraine Mulfinger, PhD
  • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
  • Summary: This programmatic area is currently in development.  For more information, contact Lorraine Mulfinger, PhD.