Prof Daniel DruckerThe EASD – Novo Nordic Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence 2019, has been awarded to Prof. Daniel J. Drucker for his outstanding research on gut hormones, leading to pioneering discoveries and the development of life-changing therapies that have had a remarkable global impact on the management of people with diabetes and obesity.
Drucker, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and Senior Scientist at Sinai Health System’s Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, has been researching the molecular mechanisms and physiological functions of hormones for 35 years, leading to various discoveries and the development of life-changing therapies.
“When we started 35 years ago, only a few scientists were interested in intestinal hormones. We couldn't have imagined that this knowledge would translate into a series of new therapies that today help millions of people with serious metabolic disorders, " he states.
Throughout his career, Drucker has been dedicated to translating his findings into therapies to help people, and in recent years he has devoted himself to searching for new and even better therapies and understanding the detailed actions of peptide hormones.
The award, which is presented in collaboration with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, is accompanied by DKK 6 million (approx. $1.2 million Canadian dollars) and is awarded to an internationally recognized researcher who has made significant contributions to diabetes research.
"The purpose of this major prize is to recognize excellent contributions within diabetes research. Daniel J. Drucker is an expert and a leader in his field, and I would like to congratulate him on receiving the prize and on his outstanding achievements, which have greatly influenced development within diabetes research and improved the lives of people with diabetes” said Birgitte Nauntofte, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation
David R. Matthews, Professor and President of the EASD, also commended Professor Drucker on his extraordinary work and expressed that he is in all respects an extremely worthy and deserving recipient of the prize.
The award will officially be presented on September 18 at a celebration of the 55th Annual Meeting of the EASD in Barcelona, Spain.
Photo courtesy of Google
Article by Jedidah Mwangi
Comment