1pm PT, 4pm ET, 8pm GMT

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Gene Kunde joined Diabetes Hands Foundation (parent of TuDiabetes) as CEO in December of 2015, after an extensive search by our Board of Directors, and we are thrilled to have him!!  Already, Gene is making a strong showing at the helm of this important organization, as his extensive leadership experience, strong management background and enthusiasm for the crucial work we do come together to launch us into 2016.

“I consider it an honor to become the CEO of Diabetes Hands Foundation,” said Kunde. “Diabetes Hands Foundation has a powerful mission, serving as an important resource for those living with diabetes and their loved ones. I wanted to be part of an organization that aids and empowers individuals and I am energized by this opportunity to realize that ambition by contributing to the growth and impact of Diabetes Hands Foundation.”

Kunde brings to Diabetes Hands Foundation nearly thirty years of executive leadership experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. He is the former CEO of Birkenstock USA, LP and of Sanita Clogs, Inc. Before that he was the COO of Epson America, Inc. He is also the former COO of Strive for College.

“We are excited to have someone with Gene’s record of business success lead the organization onto what we believe will be a period of significant expansion of Diabetes Hands Foundation’s reach,” said Dennis Urbaniak, Board Chair of Diabetes Hands Foundation. Gene is uniquely suited as one who can inspire with a clear and creative vision, while also possessing a business acumen that will advance the business strategically.”

Join us to meet Gene and learn how he sees the next year for Diabetes Hands Foundation and TuDiabetes!

11am PT, 2pm ET, 7pm GMT

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The past several years have brought about a variety of new ways to see, track and share blood glucose data, including several CGM wrist watch options.  Are you confused about them?  So are we!!  In this interview, D-guru Gary Scheiner will explain, review and compare the different options available today.

Gary Scheiner is a certified diabetes educator, insulin-pump and continuous glucose monitor user and trainer, Masters-level exercise physiologist and expert at carb counting.  He serves on the advisory boards of several diabetes device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies; volunteers for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Diabetes Exercise & Sports Association, American Diabetes Association, and Setebaid diabetes camps; and serves on the faculty of Children With Diabetes.  Gary teaches and art and science of blood-glucose balancing to people with diabetes throughout the world from his private practice, Integrated Diabetes Services as well as through his online school of higher learning for insulin users, Type 1 University.

1pm PT, 4pm ET, 8pm GMT

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What is Easycarb?

Easycarb is the first complete solution for tracking carbohydrates, intended to make the process simple, accurate and efficient. It consists of a powerful app combined with a dedicated portable Bluetooth scale, which together automatically determine the exact amount of carbohydrate in a given meal, calculates corresponding insulin doses and logs everything for easy access at all times. It is intended to make carb counting accurate, fun and engaging for everyone.

Where are we right now?

The Easycarb project is already in motion, and founders Klemen and Luka Zupancic have all the blueprints for production ready. They are currently looking for potential strategic partnerships or investments from like-minded organizations, companies and individuals from the field of diabetes innovations to help finalize the product and bring it to the market.

Klemen and Luka Zupancic

Brothers Klemen and Luka Zupancic are researchers in the field of biomedicine and regenerative medicine, and founded Easycarb in November 2013.

Klemen and Luka have both been involved with diabetes as part of their academic pursuits, which led them to develop a mutual interest in the condition. They started focusing their efforts towards diabetes research and participating in various workshops and courses about diabetes management as volunteers, where they got the opportunity to talk with people living with diabetes and listen to the challenges they face every day. It was not long until they realized that something was very wrong with the current standard for counting and tracking carbohydrates.  This process is crucial for maintaining short-term and long-term health when it comes to diabetes, yet it is extremely outmoded, inconvenient and inefficient, and has remained virtually unchanged for decades.

As researchers, Klemen and Luka always relied on scientific fact when it came to the work they did. When recent global studies and clinical trials revealed the importance of good carbohydrate management and the role it plays in the management of diabetes, there was no more doubt in their minds; they decided to modernize the process of tracking carbs and make it simple and effective, so everyone could do it right. They wanted to create change, and Easycarb is their way to do it.

1pm PT, 4pm ET, 8pm GMT

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What is D.A.I.L.Y?

This new resource developed by the Endocrine Society and Hormone Health Network, called D.A.I.L.Y., or Diabetes Awareness Information for Loved Ones and You, was created by endocrinologists and diabetes experts to help people with Type 2 diabetes take control of their condition and better manage their symptoms, as well as engage loved ones for support. D.A.I.L.Y aims to help people become more active participants in their daily diabetes management and inspire them to take greater control of their health care.

Dr. Sean Vasaitis is one of the Endocrine Society members who helped to create this program.

Sean Vasaitis, Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Dr. Vasaitis completed his doctoral work in Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2007.  He holds a masters degree in Exercise and Health Science from Miami University, Ohio and a bachelors degree in Biology from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

Prior to his appointment at the UMES School of pharmacy, Dr. Vasaitis was a research fellow with Dr. Angela Brodie and Dr. Vincent Njar at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).  At UMB he was involved in the development of novel inhibitors of androgen action for the treatment of prostate cancer.  He also is involved in clinical research in the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center investigating the mechanisms by which exercise, vitamin D and complementary therapeutics affect metabolic function.

Dr. Vasaitis’ research goals follow the overarching concept of integrating Western approaches to medicine and pharmacological therapy with evidence-based complementary medicine to further a holistic approach to disease treatment.  In addition to his research in novel drug development and metabolic function, he has taught taijiquan (tai chi) to patients with stroke, cancer, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes as part of studies with Johns Hopkins Prohealth, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and within his own business practice.

3pm PT, 5pm ET, 11pm GMT

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December is a month of many holidays!  On TuDiabetes we’d like to set aside some time to meet up in our chat room to wish each other well on the various holidays we celebrate and discuss how we celebrate, what we eat, what the holiday means to us, and more!

Join Diabetes Hands Foundation’s Sarah Edwards in the home page chat room on Christmas Eve eve to talk about Christmas plans, recipes, trivia, and to wish each other a merry Christmas and share a virtual glass of egg nog 🙂

1pm PT, 4pm ET, 8pm GMT

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Diagnosed at age 14 with type 1, Dana Lewis had the usual experience of years of frustration of dealing with diabetes devices that did not communicate with each other. She often imagined a system that would take data from each device, run it through the algorithm that every PWD uses in their head dozens (or hundreds) of times a day, and automate some of the decision-making process. In late 2013, this became a reality after someone shared their code to help pull data off of a CGM in real-time. Dana and her now-husband Scott Leibrand used the CGM data to create a decision-assist system they called #DIYPS, the “Do-It-Yourself Pancreas System”. #DIYPS took CGM data and, with Dana entering information about insulin delivered by her pump and carbohydrate information, processed the data to provide real-time predictions – and alerts – to help her know when to take action. (#DIYPS also had louder alarms to wake Dana up at night, as she sleeps through CGM alarms – this was one of the key drivers of developing a system.)

After a year of using #DIYPS and with collaboration from the wider #wearenotwaiting community, they were able to take the #DIYPS algorithm and “close the loop”, using a raspberry Pi and a Carelink USB stick to automate the process of uploading data, run it through the algorithm, and if needed issue temporary basal rates to the pump…then read the data, and perform the process automatically over and over again. Dana wanted to find a way to make this type of DIY effort available to more people more quickly (and help fill the gap between now and when a commercially available artificial pancreas comes to market in 2017 or 2018). This is how the #OpenAPS movement was born, with a goal to make safe and effective basic Artificial Pancreas System (APS) technology more widely available. #OpenAPS is a number of things: a toolkit to help people communicate with their diabetes devices; a reference design for a closed loop system; and a series of basic documentation for those who are choosing to build their own OpenAPS system.

Dana can be found online at @DanaMLewis, #DIYPS, and #OpenAPS on Twitter. You can read more about the #OpenAPS movement and get links to the documentation at OpenAPS.org.

1pm PT, 4pm ET, 9pm GMT

What time is this where you are?

December is a month of many holidays!  On TuDiabetes we’d like to set aside some time to meet up in our chat room to wish each other well on the various holidays we celebrate and discuss how we celebrate, what we eat, what the holiday means to us, and more!

Winter solstice, which is December 22nd in theNorthern Hemisphere, is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Many cultures throughout human history, including the present, have celebrated this day and night as an important time in the astrological calendar.

Join Diabetes Hands Foundation’s Corinna Cornejo in the home page chat room to talk about what Winter Solstice means to different people, and if you are someone who celebrates it join us to share what you do!  Are there special foods associated with this holiday?  Special practices?  Does your celebration relate to your diabetes in any way?