Provisional List for International Speakers
Mahmoud Ibrahim
USA
Consultant Endocrinologist
Director , EDC , Center for Diabetes Education
Program Director, Emory Prevention Program
Member of the Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research MCDTR , Ann Arbor , Michigan
Peter Gaede
Denmark
Chief Physician at Slagelse Hospital
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Chief Physician, DMSc, Specialist in endocrinology, Specialist in internal medicine at Slagelse Hospital
Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark
Chief Physician at Slagelse Hospital
Jason C Baker
USAAssistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Medicine , Weill Cornell Medical College 2013 - July 2006 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY: The role of CD8-mediated cellular immunity in the pathogenesis of Type I Diabetes. NIH, JDRF, AECOM, PI: Dr. Teresa DiLorenzo. Sept 2003 Columbia University, NY NY: Analysis of genetic markers predicting response of newly-diagnosed Type I diabetes to anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Columbia University, PI: Dr. Kevin Herold. April 2002 Kumasi, Ghana: International Telemedicine. Emory University, PI: Dr. Kenneth Walker. July 2000 Tbilisi, Repulbic of Georgia: HIV and HCV sero-prevalence in known TB patients. Presented at the American Federation of Research Forum, New Orleans. Analysis of Buccal Smears for the Asian haplotype of mitochondrial DNA in native Caucasians living in the Republic of Georgia. Emory University, PI: Drs. Henry Blumberg and Carlos Del Rio. March 1998 Georgia Mental Health Institute, Atlanta, GA: Novel isolation techniques for legionella. Emory University, PI: Dr. Robert Benson. March 1998 Georgia Mental Health Institute, Atlanta, GA: Dopamine pathways involved in the etiology of Major Depression. Emory University, PI: Dr. Jay Weiss.
Bjorn Richelsen
Denmark
Professor, MD. Dr. Med. Sci. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus University
Education:
He has been a member of the Danish Nutrition Council (1992 - 1995), chairman for the Danish Association for the Study of Obesity (1990 - 1994), member of the executive committee of the Danish Endocrine Society, and council member of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) (from 1994) and member of the executive committee of EASO (from 1996 to 2000 as secretary). Member of the Danish Medical Research Council ( 2001 - 2004 ). Vice-president in the Danish Nutrition Council (2001 -2002 ) and President for The Danish Nutrition Council from 2003.
Robert H. Eckel
USA
President elect of the American Diabetes Association.
Professor of Medicine with appointments in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Division of Cardiology.
Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Anschutz Medical Campus, and director of the Lipid Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital
He holds the Charles A. Boettcher II Endowed Chair in atherosclerosis at the University of Colorado Denver, where he is also a professor of medicine and professor of physiology and biophysics. In 2016 Eckel was among the recipients of the Laureate Awards of the Endocrine Society, as Outstanding Clinical Investigator. He has done significant research in the biology and pathophysiology of lipoprotein lipase.
Eckel was on the Scientific Advisory Council of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. His research area includes nutrition, insulin action, energy balance and body weight regulation.
Eckel is a former president of the American Heart Association, and a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Physicians; he received the Robert H. Herman Award from the American Society for Nutrition in 2011.
Anne Peters
USA
Anne Peters, M.D., is Professor of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Director of the USC Clinical Diabetes Programs. Dr. Peters earned her medical degree from the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago and performed an internal medicine residency at Stanford University and an endocrinology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She previously directed the clinical diabetes programs at Cedars-Sinai and UCLA. Her research has focused on testing new approaches for diagnosing and treating diabetes and developing systems of care to improve outcomes in diabetic populations.
She has published over 200 articles, reviews, and abstracts and three books on diabetes. She has been an investigator on over 40 research studies and has spoken at over 400 programs throughout the US as well as internationally. She has served on many committees for the ADA and other organizations. Currently she is the chair of the Endocrine Society Committee on Diabetes Devices and is on the EASD/ADA Technology Safety Committee. Additionally she is a member of the JDRF Panel on Management of Exercise in Type 1 Diabetes. She is a member of the ABIM Endocrinology Subspecialty Board. She consults for many entities, including the FDA, Optum Rx and CVS/Caremark to help guide the development and use of treatments for diabetes.
Abraham Thomas
USA
MD, MPH
Chair, Department of Medicine, Baystate Health
Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate
Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate
Amy Fischl
USA
Amy Fischl, MS, RD, LDN, BC-ADM, CDE is a program coordinator for the Teen and Adolescent Diabetes Transition Program at the University of Chicago’s Kovler Diabetes Center. She is also a certified diabetes educator, nutrition specialist, and certified insulin pump trainer.
Her professional activities include writing CE test items for the American Association of Diabetes Educators, reviewing submissions for the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, and participating on the advisory boards of Nature’s Way, Dreamfields Pasta, and Jolly Time Popcorn.
She completed her undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. While earning her Master of Science degree from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, WI, she researched the effect evening snacks have on blood sugars of patients with type 1 diabetes.
Eberhard Standl
Germany
Professor of Medicine, specializing in endocrinology and angiology, at the Munich Diabetes Research Group e.V. at Helmholtz Centre. Dr. Standl's principal areas of research include diabetology, action and degradation of insulin and epidemiology of cardiovascular diabetic complications.
Previously, Dr. Standl was Director of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism at the Academic Hospital Munich-Schwabing. He also worked at the world-renowned Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Standl served as a Member of Scientific Advisory Board at LabStyle Innovations Corp. since May 2014.
Dr. Standl has served as President of the German Diabetes Association, German Diabetes Union and International Diabetes Federation Europe as well as Vice President of the International Diabetes Federation and European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).various scientific awards, most recently the Hellmut Mehnert Award at the IDF World Diabetes Congress 2013.
Paolo Pozzilli
Italy
Professor of Diabetes and Clinical Research at the Centre for Diabetes at Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, and Professor of Endocrinology & Metabolic Diseases at the University Campus Bio-Medico in Rome, Italy.
He coordinates the International PhD programme in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases between Queen Mary University of London, University Campus Bio-Medico in Rome and the University of Ulm, Germany.
He is Member Scientific Advisory Board of the Graduate School in Molecular Medicine, University of Ulm, Member Advisory Board of the International Diabetes Federation, Group for Diabetes in the Youth and Delegate for University Campus Bio-Medico, Permanent Conference of Rectors of the Italian Universities (CRUI).
He is currently the European Editor of Diabetes Metabolism Research & Reviews, John Wiley Publ.
Raffaella Buzzetti
ItalyRaffaella Buzzetti, Italian endocrinologist, educator. Certified endocrinology specialist University Rome, 1987, genetics specialist 1992. Project grant, Non Insulin Requiring Autoimmune Diabetes, Internal Medicine fellow, Sapienza University, 1985-1986, fellow, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, 1987-1990, grant, Italian Ministry University and Research, 2005.
David Leslie
UK
consultant physician at St Bartholomew's Hospital and Professor of Diabetes and Autoimmunity at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He was recently elected President of The Association of Physicians of Great Britian and Ireland.
He qualified and trained at Imperial College and subsequently at King's College Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle. He was an MRC Travelling Fellow at the University of Chicago, USA, and Welcome Trust Senior Clincal Research Fellow at both King's College and Charing Cross and Westminster Medical Schools.
He has an interest in the cause of autoimmune diabetes through the study of twins and disease syndromes.
Professsor David Leslie has been Professor of Diabetes and Autoimmunity at the Blizard Institute, University of London He has published 12 books and more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and received grants from many agencies including the EU, Wellcome Trust and MRC. In 2012 he was elected President of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland. He ran the Diabetes Department at St Bartholomews Hospital, London with extensive experience of all aspects of diabetes, having previously been a consultant at Kings College Hospital.
Carol H. Wysham
MDProgram Director Carol Wysham, MD graduated from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, in 1980 and did her internship in internal medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, OR. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland in 1983. She had a fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City, IA, from 1983 to 1986. She was Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota between 1986 and 1992. During that time she was also Chief, Endocrinology and Metabolism, at the Ramsey Clinic in St. Paul. Currently, she is Staff Endocrinologist at the Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, WA, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, and Research Professor of Pharmacotherapy at Washington State University in Spokane. She is also Chair, Washington State Diabetes Collaborative. Her research interests include the reduction of CVD risk in type 2 diabetes and improving delivery of care for diabetes. She is participating in the ACCORD trial and AIM-High Trial. She is a member of the American Diabetes Association and the Endocrine Society. She is a Fellow at the American College of Endocrinology and at the American College of Physicians.
Dario Tuccinardi
Italy(Unit of Endocrinology and Diabetes Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome)
Jaakko Tuomilehto
FinlandPersonal Details/Academic Background Born on 24 December 1946, Prof. Jaakko Tuomilehto received his medical degree from the University of Turku in Finland in 1973, followed by an MPolSc in sociology, statistics, and psychology from the same university in 1975. He did his PhD in Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Kuoprio, Finland, in 1975. Professional Milestones Prof. Tuomilehto has worked in various capacities with prestigious organizations, including the universities of Turku and Kuopio in Finland. From 1980 to 1982, he worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Manila, Philippines. From 1983 to 1986, he served as the Head of the Monica Data Centre at the National Public Health Institute (NPHI) and was the Acting Director of Department of Epidemiology at the NPHI from 1987 to 1991. He was the Head of Diabetes and Genetic Epidemiology Unit at the Department of Public Health of the University of Helsinki from 1995 to 2000. He is the Professor of Public Health since May 2000 and an Academy Professor at the Academy of Finland from August 2000 and Visiting Professor of Epidemiology at the Danube University Krems in Austria since July 2001. Research and Scientific Work Prof. Tuomilehto has been involved in a number of key cardiovascular prevention studies, including the North Karelia Project, the FINMONICA Study (the Finnish part of the WHO MONICA project), DECODE and DECODA. He initiated the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, the landmark study for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes. He has served on various committees in many controlled clinical trials. He has been involved in many diabetes epidemiology training courses in the past. The internationally-acclaimed epidemiologist is probably best known for the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS) which was internationally acclaimed and showed similar results to the Diabetes Prevention Program study done later on in the US. Professor Tuomilehto’s work has been predominantly in type 2 diabetes, but, he, like Professor Paul Zimmet, has made valuable contributions to type 1 diabetes, especially in alerting the world to the huge variation in incidence worldwide. Prof. Tuomilehto assisted in the development of the MonDial WHO Diabetes Registry for type 1 diabetes in children which demonstrated the 400 fold variation in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in childhood. This has stimulated various intervention trials and much research in understanding the natural history of type 1 diabetes. He has also been involved in research into the genes responsible for the risk for type 2 diabetes through large collaborative studies with the US laboratories and he too has been the Principal Investigator of major NIH funded research. Prof. Tuomilehto’s work has influenced cardiovascular disease prevention as much as diabetes prevention. His initial work was to investigate the high incidence of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes among young men living in North Karelia, a region bordering Finland and Russia. He was instrumental in the development of the national program in Finland to identify people in the community at high risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes by devising a simple self-administeredquestionnaire (Findrisk). The DPS study for which he is best recognized is a randomized blinded multi-stranded intervention trial, in which lifestyle changes in people with IGT (Impaired Glucose Tolerance) were able to reduce the numbers who progressed to diabetes by 58%. This study has been the major work which has informed national diabetes prevention programs in many countries in Europe and is now being considered for implementation throughout the European Union. He has published about 1000 peer-reviewed original articles and about 250 Editorials, Reviews and Book chapters and has served on the advisory boards of many scientific journals. He ranks among the 15 most-cited researchers (during the last 10 years) in clinical medicine worldwide. Responsibilities and Assignments Prof. Tuomilehto has served on several specialized committees in Finland, including as a member of the National Hypertension Committee of the Ministry of Health, Medical Research Council, Finnish Academy, National Committee for International Health Affairs of Finland, Council for Social and Health Insurance for Eastern Finland, National Hypertension Working Group of the Finnish Heart Foundation, National Working Group for Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases, the Finnish Heart Foundation, National Working Group for the Development of Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, and continues to be the chairman of the National Task Force for the Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes since 2001. Prof. Tuomilehto is a member of several national and international committees and the chair of the Finnish Epidemiological Society and the Neuroepidemiology Science Panel of the European Federation of Neurological Sciences. He is the past president of the Finnish Society of Hypertension, International Diabetes Epidemiology Group. He is also a member of numerous scientific societies, including the International Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology. He has been given honorary membership/fellowship in scientific societies like Argentine Diabetes Society, Austrian Stroke Research Society, European Society of Cardiology and the World Innovation Foundation. He was also a Member of the Advisory Board for the Scientific Journals like Journal of Human Hypertension, International Diabetes Monitor, Journal of Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Diabetologia, Croatian Medical Journal, Lithuanian Journal of Cardiology, Journal of Hypertension, European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation and Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research. Awards and Recognitions • Prof. M. Viswanathan DRC Silver Jubilee Oration Award, Madras, India 1996 • Kelly West Award for Outstanding Achievement in Epidemiology, American Diabetes Association, USA, 1998 • Peter Bennett Diabetes Epidemiology Award, International Diabetes Epidemiology Group, Acapulco, Mexico 2000 • Hans Chiari Memorial Lecture Award, Austrian Stroke Research Society, Krems, Austria 2001 • Pfizer Visiting Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 2002 • UNESCO – Hellmut Mehnert Award on aetiology and prevention of diabetes, Dresden, Germany 2002 • Castelli Pedroli Prize, EASD Annual Meeting, Budapest, Hungary 2002 • MEDIX-award for the most outstanding publication in medical sciences from Finland in 2001 In recognition of his outstanding contributions in the pioneering work that has been predominantly in type 2 diabetes and the valuable contributions to type 1 diabetes, especially in alerting the world to the huge variation in incidence worldwide, and for his assistance in the development of Mondial WHO Diabetes Registry for type 1 diabetes in children, Prof. Jaakko Tuomilehto truly deserves the Grand Hamdan International Award as the co-winner for the 2009-2010 term.
Melanie J Davies
UKMelanie Davies is a clinician with over 25 years experience working as a diabetologist and physician and since 2006 is Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Leicester. She is an NIHR Senior Investigator, one of only a handful in diabetes in the UK, Director of the NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Director of a Clinical Trial Unit, Lead for Division 2 of the Clinical Research Network East Midlands and PI on a number of large global studies in the field of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Professor Davies is the global PI on the SCALE Obesity trial, a large multinational study investigating management of obesity with GLP-1 analogue. In the last three years she has had more than 180 peer review publications and has been awarded, in the last five years, over £30,000,000 of external reviewed grant funding. RESEARCH INTERESTS Diabetes Obesity Cardiovascular Disease Sedentary Behaviour Physical Activity PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES NIHR Senior Investigator Award, 2008 / 2012 POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION CURRENT PhD STUDENTS Michelle Hadjiconstantinou September 2014 - Department of Health Sciences, Professor Melanie Davies We based intervention to promote psychological wellbeing and self-management in type 2 diabetes. Kishan Bakrania May 2014 - Department of Health Sciences, Professor Melanie Davies and Professor Kamlesh Khunti Analysing accelerometer data via novel approaches Sam Seidu Jan 2014 - Department of Health Sciences, jointly with Professor Melanie Davies and Professor Kamlesh Khunti A systematic review of interventions targeting primary care professionals on the improvement of diabetes outcomes in a multi-ethnic population. Evaluating the effects of multi-factorial quality improvement (QI) strategy targeted at primary care health care professionals on management of people with diabetes in a multi-ethnic population. Charlotte Jelleyman October 2013 - Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, jointly with Dr Thomas Yates, Professor Melanie Davies and Professor Kamlesh Khunti The effect of high intensity interval training in type 2 diabetes Matthew McCarthy October 2013 - Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and Diabetes Research Centre, jointly with Dr Thomas Yates, Professor Melanie Davies, Professor Kamlesh Khunti and Charlotte Edwardson. Addressing sedentary behaviour in a clinical type 2 diabetes population. Zin Zin Htike January 2014 - University of Leicester jointly with Professor M Davies and Professor K Khunti, Department of Health Sciences Impact of Liraglutide on cardiac function and structure in young adults with type 2 diabetes Shaun Barber October 2012 – Department of Health Sciences, jointly with Professor Melanie Davies and Professor Kamlesh Khunti Screening tools for individuals at high risk of glucose disorders and cardiovascular disease from multi ethnic and minority populations Nitin Gholap September 2012 – University of Leicester, jointly with Professor M Davies and Professor K Khunti, Department of Health Sciences Prevalence and prognostic implications of chronic hyperglycaemia in South Asian and White European individuals following an acute myocardial infarction Nichola Perrin May 2011 - Department of Health Sciences, jointly with Professor Melanie Davies and Professor Kamlesh Khunti Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of a screening and management program for depression and/or distress in people with type 2 diabetes
Sandra Weber
USADr. Weber has been a member of AACE since 1994. She served as President of the Carolinas Chapter-AACE from 2006 to 2008. She has served on several AACE Committees, including Chair of the 24th Annual AACE Scientific & Clinical Congress Program Committee, ACE Funding Development Committee, Chapters Committee, Legislative and Regulatory Committee, Bylaws Committee, and more. Dr. Weber currently practices endocrinology in Greenville, South Carolina, where she is one of the founding faculty at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville. Also, she is involved in the residency teaching program, is active in clinical research, and serves as Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Chair of Continuing Medical Education at Greenville Health System, University Medical Group.
Sehnaz Kardeniz
Turkey
Ophthalmologist and Immediate Past Chair of the International Diabetes Federation European Region | Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital Istanbul, TURKEY
Dr. Karadeniz has been involved in medical and scientific programs in the field of diabetes for the past 25 years.
Dr. Karadeniz, an ophthalmologist, has been actively involved in a series of medical, scientific and social projects / programs both at national and international levels in the field of diabetes for the past 25 years.
She is a passionate advocate for diabetes, as diabetes-related human, social and economic burden is avoidable by primary / secondary / tertiary prevention. She believes in horizontal and vertical communication at all levels to align people’s and system (including decisionmakers) needs and / or expectations for effective planning of projects / programs / strategies, their implementation, and monitoring - be this at the local / regional / national / international level. Therefore she believes in the power of NGOs in serving the communities in an organized and coordinated way in order to contribute for a positive change.
All these guide her activities and commitments throughout the years at national and international levels.
She is the Founding Member, and Member of the Board of the Trustees of the Turkish Diabetes Foundation (TURKDIAB). Some of her ongoing commitments are:
-Coordinator for the international relations of the Foundation,
-Coordinator of the DIABLIVA project, an initiative that provides support for Turkish speaking people with diabetes living abroad,
-Member of the Executive Committee and Coordinator for International Relations for “Diabetes 2020: Vision and Targets for Turkey”, a nationwide project to contribute for the development of national diabetes plan and its monitoring,
-Member of the Coordinating Board of the Law Office of the Turkish Diabetes Foundation,
-Member of the Scientific Committee of the yearly published diabetes guideline by the National Diabetes Consensus Group.
Dr. Karadeniz joined the board of International Diabetes Federation European Region (IDF Europe) in 2007, and served as the Chair of IDF Europe from Dec 2015 to Dec 2019.
Currently, she is a Teaching Faculty at the Ophthalmology Dept. of Faculty of Medicine, Demiroglu Bilim University and also working as an ophthalmologist at the Ophthalmology Dept. of Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital. She also serves as the President of the Living with Diabetes Association, a nationwide patients’ organisation and as a Board Member of the Turkish Diabetes Foundation.
