Aaron Vinik 2018 Complete Interview

Diabetes in Control speaks with top endocrinologists and other medical professionals to bring you the latest in diabetes news and research. This week, we have another exclusive interview from the AACE 2018  in Boston, MA.

AARON I. VINIK, MD, PhD, FCP, MACP, FACE is a global leader in basic and clinical neuropathy. He, in essence, has defined the heterogeneity of neuropathy, established a need for a modular approach depending on the particular nerve fiber damaged, and pioneered immunotherapy for autoimmune neuropathies.  He was awarded a lifetime achievement award by EASD Neurodiab in 2011 for his contributions to the understanding of neuropathies. In 2016, he received the American College of Endocrinology (AACE) Distinction in Endocrinology Award in recognition of advancing the understanding of endocrinology through research and education.

Dr. Vinik discovered  INGAP gene (islet neogenesis associated protein) responsible for stimulating immature cells in the diabetic pancreas to produce insulin bringing international recognition to Virginia. It is now in combination with an IL12 antagonist in clinical trial as a prospective cure for certain forms of diabetes.

Dr. Vinik has authored eleven books, one devoted to islet regeneration, 142 book chapters, and has published more than 500 papers in peer-reviewed, highly reputable journals. Dr. Vinik received the award for the Virginia Outstanding Scientist by the Science Museum of VA, in 2002 and the Southern Medical Association’s Seale Harris Award in 2003. He received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research in 1993 and the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Faculty in 1999. He was awarded Alpha Omega Alpha in 2004 by students of EVMS. In 2005, he was elected to Mastership of the American College of Physicians.  Dr. Vinik served as 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 guidelines for nutritional management of diabetes, and Chairman of the subcommittee for development of guidelines for neuropathy testing and wrote the AACE neuropathy guidelines.

Dr. Vinik’s is Editor of “Endocrine Reviews” and Frontiers in Endocrinology. He is also an editor of several books, such as “Neuroendocrine Tumors” the section on Neuroendocrine Tumors in De Groot’s textbook of Endocrinology. 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, HUD, DHHS, NASA, The Diabetes Institutes Foundation, and pharmaceutical industries.

Dr. Vinik holds three issued patents on INGAP and Nutrinerves.  He holds the copyright for the Norfolk Quality of Life tool DN, used as a screening tool, and end-point for clinical trials in neuropathy.  He also holds the copyright for the questionnaire for assessing Quality of Life in patients with neuroendocrine tumors and fatigue.

Featured videos include:

Pt.1: The Brain’s Pathogenesis of Diabetes

Pt.2: Psilocin and New Breakthroughs

Pt.3: Preferred Resting Heart Rate

Pt.4: Measuring the Balance Status in a Patient

Pt.5: Using Risk Calculator to Prescribe SGL 2 Inhibitors

Pt.6: Restoring Balance with Readily Available Medications

or view the complete interview here: Complete Interview.

To read the transcript of the full interview, click here.