Aaron
(Arthur) I. Vinik,
MD, PhD, FCP, FACP Director, Diabetes Research Institute
Scientific Director, Department of Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Eastern
Virginia Medical School
One
of the leading diabetes researchers in the world, Dr. Vinik is key in the
Strelitz Diabetes Institutes’ quest to cure diabetes. His focus of attention
is 1) the prevention and reversal of diabetic neuropathy and 2) the
development of islet cell regeneration research as a cure for diabetes. Dr.
Vinik spearheaded the discovery of "ilotropin," a chemical substance
that can reawaken a cell’s potential to produce insulin and the gene, INGAP,
the protein responsible for this reawakening.
Dr.
Vinik came to the Strelitz Diabetes Institutes from the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor where he was professor in Internal Medicine and Surgery. At the
University of Michigan he established an international reputation for his
research in the areas of hormone secreting tumors and the complications of
diabetes, particularly diabetic neuropathy.
Dr.
Vinik has been invited to present his work all over the world. Recognized as a
pioneer and scholar, Dr. Vinik has authored five books, 75 book chapters, and
has published more than 300 papers in peer-reviewed, highly reputable
journals. He has also published more than 260 abstracts, and he and the
fellows he has trained have presented scientific papers and innumerable
national and internation meetings.
Dr.
Vinik is a member of a number of professional societies including the American
Endocrine, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, and the European and International
Diabetes associations. Dr. Vinik was a member of the National Institute of
Health General Clinical Research Center Study Section and the NIH Data
Management Committee. He was also Chairman of the American Diabetes
Association task force on Nutrition, which established the previous 1985
guidelines for nutritional management of diabetes, and Chairman of the
subcommittee for development of guidelines for neuropathy testing; in
addition, he was also a member of the committee to develop guidelines for
managing lipid disorders in diabetes.
Dr.
Vinik has received research funding for his studies from the National
Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Kroc Foundation, the
American Diabetes Association, and pharmaceutical industries.
