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Drucker earns honor from American Diabetes Association
SAN FRANCISCO — Daniel Drucker, MD, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, received the Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement Award during the American Diabetes Association’s 74th Scientific Sessions.
The honor was bestowed upon Drucker for his breadth of research on gut processes, and the merit was underscored by an engaging lecture on metabolic messages in the gut and therapeutic innovations, with a focus on the utility of glucagon like peptides (GLPs).
“We’ve seen beautiful work and outstanding chemistry, and we have new combinations emerging with GLP-1 and insulin that need to be looked at,” Drucker said. “I’m not completely sure we fully understand the aspects of GLP-1 biology that inform our comprehensive understanding of safety.”
Drucker called on young people in the audience to help in laboratories and clinics to further the understanding of GLP mechanisms.
In highlighting the importance of mentorship for a career in endocrinology and metabolism, Drucker noted three men who impacted his own path before they passed away: Gerard N. Burrow, MD, of Yale School of Medicine, within the past year, Charles H. Hollenberg, MD, of the University of Manitoba and Joel F. Habener, MD, of Harvard Medical School.
Nearly three decades ago, Drucker established The Drucker Laboratory, located in the Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai hospital in downtown Toronto, which carries out studies on glucagon gene expression and the physiology of GLPs and their receptors
“Who would have predicted that the pro-glucagon gene would give rise to more drugs to treat human disease than any other gene in the genome.”
Drucker humbly commended the audience for their own contributions to the field of research. “It’s due to the efforts of so many scientists, nurses, dieticians, clinicians and regulatory folks at multiple levels of the process to allow us to understand how these agents work, how we should use them and will they be effective,” Drucker said. “Our patients now have new therapies that allow them to aggressively target their glucose and they don’t have to pay the historical price of hypoglycemia, gain weight and check their blood sugar as often.”
For More Information:
Drucker Lab – glucagon.com
Disclosures: Drucker has served as an advisor or consultant to various pharmaceutical companies and received research support from them.