Diabetes Research Institute: the best hope for a cure (indeed)

The Diabetes 2.0 Conference organized by the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) is over. But now, thoughts go through my head about what I've seen and heard through the past couple of days.

Yesterday, we had the honor of getting a detailed tour of the facilities of the institute, in the heart of the Medical District by the University of Miami. I posted some photos from the tour here. During the visit to the institute we were able to see first hand the work they are doing to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Today, I had the fortune of joining a panel moderated by Jeff Hitchcock, along with Ellen Ullman, Kerri Sparling and Scott Strumello. Allisson Blass posted this photo of us on Twitter:

At the end of the panel, Jeff asked us all what we would like to share with our communities about yesterday's visit and the conference today. This was my reply:
1) Hearing Robert A. Pearlman (President and CEO of DRI Foundation) speak yesterday, it is obvious that this group of people is obsessively focused on finding a cure for diabetes.
2) I was very impressed with the way the institute is set up with the goal of finding a cure as its core, resulting in the tearing of inter-departmental barriers to facilitate collaboration internally. Also, it was impressive to learn about the efforts to create a DRI Federation to facilitate collaboration with other research institutions all over the world.
3) Some of the talks today were more than a little over my head. The speakers during the morning are among the best (if they are not THE best) in the fields of islet transplants, immunology and beta cell replacement. But even if I didn't understand all that they explained, one thing is clear: the Diabetes Research Institute has some BRILLIANT minds working their rears to find a cure for type 1 diabetes (one that will also help many cases of type 2 diabetes).

After Diabetes 2.0, I am confident: it's not a matter of IF, it's a matter of WHEN. We WILL find a cure for diabetes.


Read the live Twitter coverage we did of most of today's talks at:
http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23dri20