Session 1: Opening Session by Lauren Kim (Founder, Director, and Webmaster of Diabetes Virtual Camp, University of Southern California, B.S. in Human Biology, 2024) and Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach, Boston University, B.A. in Biology, 2023). Lauren and Allison welcome our program interns and discuss the program goals and objectives.
Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 celebrated its 3-year anniversary with today’s Session 1 - Opening Session where Lauren Kim (Founder, Director, and Webmaster of Diabetes Virtual Camp, University of Southern California, B.S. in Human Biology, 2024) and Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach, Boston University, B.A. in Biology, 2023) welcomed 361 interns from 32 countries around the world and shared the goals and objectives for the program. The Expert Session kicked off with Session 2 - Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, Director of Metabolic Disease Research Center, MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School). The Opening Session ended with many insightful questions from our interns. We are thrilled to meet the interns joining our virtual program from all around the world to better understand diabetes and inspire our next generation of physicians and scientists.

Session 1: Opening Session joined by 361 interns from 32 countries and 34 states across the U.S. Our interns represent various demographics: 48 high school students, 150 college students, 21 post-undergraduate students, 8 pharmacy school students, 43 graduate students, 22 medical students, 7 medical residents, 9 clinical fellows, 17 postdoc and research fellows, 6 nutritionists/dieticians, 14 early-career clinicians/researchers, and 16 other health professionals, all representing 145 institutions globally.

Session 1: Opening Session. The Diabetes Virtual Camp is supported in-part by the American Diabetes Association and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim. Dr. Kim welcomes our program interns.

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim. This session introduced the topic of diabetes: different types and diagnostic criteria of diabetes, characteristic features of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, the importance of glucose homeostasis and how insulin regulates our glucose levels, and insulin resistance and its role in developing type 2 diabetes. The session further discussed how to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes using lifestyle modifications (healthy diet and exercise) and different drugs used to treat diabetes.

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Director of Metabolic Disease Research Center, MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School)

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim. This session introduced the topic of diabetes: different types and diagnostic criteria of diabetes, characteristic features of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, the importance of glucose homeostasis and how insulin regulates our glucose levels, and insulin resistance and its role in developing type 2 diabetes. The session further discussed how to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes using lifestyle modifications (healthy diet and exercise) and different drugs used to treat diabetes.

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim. Dr. Kim addresses thoughtful questions from our interns.

Session 3: The Gut Microbiome and Childhood Undernutrition by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon (Washington Universty School of Medicine)
Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

The Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 continued with a presentation from Dr. Jeffrey Gordon (Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Professor and Director, The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine) on the gut microbiome and childhood undernutrition, and this was followed by a presentation from Dr. Philipp Scherer (Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Touchstone Diabetes Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center) on our fat tissue.

Session 3: The Gut Microbiome and Childhood Undernutrition by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon. Dr. Gordon welcomes our program interns.

Session 3: The Gut Microbiome and Childhood Undernutrition by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon (Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Professor, Director, The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine)

Session 3: The Gut Microbiome and Childhood Undernutrition by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon. Human postnatal development is typically viewed from the perspective of our ‘human’ organs. As we come to appreciate how our microbial communities are assembled following birth, there is an opportunity to determine how this microbial facet of our developmental biology is related to healthy growth as well as to the risk for and manifestations of disorders that produce abnormal growth. We are testing the hypothesis that perturbations in the normal development of the gut microbiome are causally related to childhood undernutrition, a devastating global health problem whose long-term sequelae, including stunting, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, plus metabolic and immune dysfunction, remain largely refractory to current therapeutic interventions. The journey to preclinical proof-of-concept, and the path forward to clinical proof-of-concept emphasize the opportunities as well as the experimental and analytic challenges encountered when developing microbiota-directed therapeutics.

Session 3: The Gut Microbiome and Childhood Undernutrition by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon. Dr. Gordon addresses thoughtful questions from our interns.

Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer. Dr. Scherer welcomes our program interns.

Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer (Professor of Internal Medicine, Director of Touchstone Diabetes Center, Gilford O. Touchstone Jr. and Randolph G. Touchstone Distinguished Chair in Diabetes Research, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer. Adipose tissue is far more than just an energy reservoir full of fat. It is an organ that talks to many other tissues in our body by taking advantage of its own hormones and other signaling molecules. These interactions play a very important role for diabetes, our heart tissue and vessels, as well as for the development of cancer cells.

Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer. Dr. Scherer virtually interacts with our interns.

Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer. Dr. Scherer virtually interacts with our interns.

Session 4: Our Fat Tissue: More Than Just Flubber by Dr. Philipp Scherer. Dr. Scherer addresses thoughtful questions from our interns.

Session 5: A Quest for Impact by Dr. Robert Gabby (American Diabetes Association)
Session 6: Insulin Hyper-Production as a Risk Factor for Diabetes by Dr. James Johnson (University of British Columbia)

The Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 continued with a presentation from Dr. Robert Gabbay (Chief, Scientific and Medical Officer, American Diabetes Association and Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School) on a quest for impact, and this was followed by a presentation from Dr. James Johnson (Professor of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Director of Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia) on insulin hyper-production as a risk factor for diabetes.

Session 5: A Quest for Impact by Dr. Robert Gabbay. Dr. Gabbay welcomes our program interns.

Session 5: A Quest for Impact by Dr. Robert Gabbay (Chief, Scientific and Medical Officer, American Diabetes Association and Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School)

Session 5: A Quest for Impact by Dr. Robert Gabbay. The field of diabetes researching care is vast. As I reflect on the nearly 40-year journey, I will share the drive to improve the lives of people affected by diabetes and maximize impact. It has been a journey from the micro to the macro. Along the way, you can see the many opportunities that being involved in the world of diabetes presents for your future career journeys.

Session 5: A Quest for Impact by Dr. Robert Gabbay. Dr. Gabbay addresses terrific questions from our interns.

Session 6: Insulin Hyper-Production as a Risk Factor for Diabetes by Dr. James Johnson. Dr. Johnson welcomes our program interns.

Session 6: Insulin Hyper-Production as a Risk Factor for Diabetes by Dr. James Johnson (Professor of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Director of Life Sciences Institute, Chair of Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition, Editor-in-Chief, Islets. The University of British Columbia)

Session 6: Insulin Hyper-Production as a Risk Factor for Diabetes by Dr. James Johnson. This presentation examined the evidence, both clinical and pre-clinical data, that implicates hyperinsulinemia in diabetes. First, this session discussed how excess circulating insulin can drive obesity and insulin resistance. Second, this session presented a hypothesis and supporting data that genetic and environmental factors which increase insulin production early in life also predispose individuals to type 1 diabetes.

Session 6: Insulin Hyper-Production as a Risk Factor for Diabetes by Dr. James Johnson. Dr. Johnson addresses terrific questions from our interns.

Session 7: Bone as an Endocrine Organ by Dr. Gerard Karsenty (Columbia University)
Session 8: Brown, Beige, White: Burning Questions About Adipose Tissue by Dr. Evan Rosen (Harvard Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 continued with a presentation from Dr. Gerard Karsenty (Chair of Genetics and Development, Professor of Medicine, Columbia University) on bone as an endocrine organ, and this was followed by a presentation from Dr. Evan Rosen (Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School) on brown, beige, and white adipose tissue.

Session 7: Bone as an Endocrine Organ by Dr. Gerard Karsenty. Dr. Karsenty welcomes our program interns.

Session 7: Bone as an Endocrine Organ by Dr. Gerard Karsenty (Chair, Genetics and Development, Professor of Medicine, Paul A. Marks Professor of Genetics and Development, Columbia University)

Session 7: Bone as an Endocrine Organ by Dr. Gerard Karsenty. At the beginning of the 21st century it was proposed that bone mass and energy metabolism should be subjected to a coordinated regulation. Exploration of this hypothesis revealed, for the purpose of this session, that bone is an endocrine organ necessary for glucose homeostasis in animals fed a normal chow.

Session 8: Brown, Beige, White: Burning Questions About Adipose Tissue by Dr. Evan Rosen. Dr. Rosen welcomes our program interns.

Session 8: Brown, Beige, White: Burning Questions About Adipose Tissue by Dr. Evan Rosen. This session discussed the various types of adipocytes with a special focus on heat generating brown and beige fat cells. Can we turn fat against itself?

Session 8: Brown, Beige, White: Burning Questions About Adipose Tissue by Dr. Evan Rosen. This session discussed the various types of adipocytes with a special focus on heat generating brown and beige fat cells. Can we turn fat against itself?

Session 8: Brown, Beige, White: Burning Questions About Adipose Tissue by Dr. Evan Rosen (Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Professor of Medicine, Institute Member, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School)

Session 8: Brown, Beige, White: Burning Questions About Adipose Tissue by Dr. Evan Rosen. Dr. Rosen addresses outstanding questions from our interns.

Diabetes Virtual Camp thanks our sponsors and partners: American Diabetes Associations and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust!

Session 9: Update on Diabetes Technologies: Insulin Pumps/CGM/Automated Insulin Delivery by Dr. Lori Laffel (Harvard Medical School)
Session 10: The Intestine as a Therapeutic Target for Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti (Harvard Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 continued with a presentation from Dr. Lori Laffel (Section Chief and Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School) on diabetes technologies, focusing on insulin pumps, CGM, and automated insulin delivery, and this was followed by a presentation from Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti (Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School) on the intestine as a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes.

Session 9: Update on Diabetes Technologies: Insulin Pumps/CGM/Automated Insulin Delivery by Dr. Lori Laffel. Dr. Laffel welcomes our program interns.

Session 9: Update on Diabetes Technologies: Insulin Pumps/CGM/Automated Insulin Delivery by Dr. Lori Laffel (Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Section, Senior Investigator, Head Section on Clinical, Behavioral, and Outcomes Research, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School)

Session 9: Update on Diabetes Technologies: Insulin Pumps/CGM/Automated Insulin Delivery by Dr. Lori Laffel. This session provided a brief update on advances in diabetes technologies aimed to improve both biomedical and psychosocial outcomes of people with diabetes. Technology advances include automated insulin delivery, incorporating modern insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors.

Session 9: Update on Diabetes Technologies: Insulin Pumps/CGM/Automated Insulin Delivery by Dr. Lori Laffel. Dr. Laffel addresss questios from our interns.

Session 10: The Intestine as a Therapeutic Target for Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti. Dr. Patti welcomes our program interns.

Session 10: The Intestine as a Therapeutic Target for Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti (Associate Professor of Medicine, Investigator and Staff Physician, Director of Hypoglycemia Clinic, Co-Director of Molecular Phenotyping and Genotyping Core, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School)

Session 10: The Intestine as a Therapeutic Target for Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti. Did you know that the gastrointestinal tract - your stomach and intestines - is an important regulator of your body's metabolism? In fact, surgery which rearranges the gastrointestinal tract can actually improve glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes to an even greater extent than medication, for some people. This session discussed what we have learned from these studies and what the implications are for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Session 10: The Intestine as a Therapeutic Target for Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti. Dr. Patti addresses excellent questions from our interns.

Session 11: Molecular Control of Diabetic Complications by Dr. Mukesh Jain (Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University).
Session 12: Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School)
Session 13: Preparing for a Career in Science and Medicine by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School)
Session 14: Closing Session by Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster) Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), and Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor)

The last day of the Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 began with a presentation from Dr. Mukesh Jain (Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Frank L. Day Professor of Biology, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University) on diabetes complications, and this was followed by 2 presentations from Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School) on his obesity & diabetes research and his insights on a scientific and medical career. This year’s program ended with a Closing Session, led by Lauren Kim (Founder, Director, and Webmaster of Diabetes Virtual Camp, University of Southern California, B.S. in Human Biology, 2024), Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach, Boston University, B.A. in Biology, 2023), and Dr. Jason Kim.

After 14 exciting sessions, the Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp 2023 came to an end with Lauren Kim and Allison Kim sharing their heartfelt closing remarks; the story of how Diabetes Virtual Camp began and grew as a result of all the hard work and dedication in organizing the virtual programs and how the program has reached a global audience over the past 4 years with their steadfast commitments for future programs to support the next generations of physicians and scientists. Lastly, the Diabetes Virtual Camp is supported in-part by the American Diabetes Association and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. On behalf of the Diabetes Virtual Camp, Lauren Kim and Allison Kim expressed wholehearted appreciation to our amazing interns worldwide for their growing interests and passion for diabetes, biomedical research, and medicine.

In all, Diabetes Virtual Camp and the American Diabetes Association are working together to support exciting research and important education to inspire the next generations of physicians and scientists, sharing our mission to improve diabetes care and find a cure for diabetes.

Session 11: Molecular Control of Diabetic Complications by Dr. Mukesh Jain. Dr. Jain welcomes our program interns.

Session 11: Molecular Control of Diabetic Complications by Dr. Mukesh Jain (Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, and Frank L. Day Professor of Biology, The Warren Albert Medical School of Brown University)

Session 11: Molecular Control of Diabetic Complications by Dr. Mukesh Jain. This presentation discussed how key molecular pathways in the nucleus serve as convergence points to control metabolism at the cellular and organismal level. The implications of these pathways in health and disease were reviewed.

Session 11: Molecular Control of Diabetic Complications by Dr. Mukesh Jain. Dr. Jain addresses great questions from our interns.

Session 12: Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim. This session introduced the topic of obesity and its role in type 2 diabetes: why we are so prone to become obese and what may drive the current obesity pandemic, and hormonal regulation of body weight. The session further discussed how obesity is a major cause of type 2 diabetes, current paradigms explaining the molecular link, aging and diabetes, and the clash between diabetes and COVID-19 involving inflammation. The session ended with a discussion on lessons from the past on how we have failed to control obesity, and what we must do now and in future to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Session 13: Preparing for a Career in Science and Medicine by Dr. Jason Kim. This session introduced how high school and college students can explore their interests in science and medicine, and how college curriculum and extracurricular activities can be organized to prepare for medical school and graduate school. The session further presented a bird’s-eye view of the medical school and graduate school admissions process. The session ended with a discussion on what to expect and what challenges lie ahead in a winding path to a career in academic medicine and research, and the passion and service that define this lifelong profession.

Session 12 & 13 by Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, Director of Metabolic Disease Research Center, and MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School). Dr. Kim addresses many questions from our interns.

Session 14: Closing Session by Lauren Kim (Founder, Director, and Webmaster of Diabetes Virtual Camp, University of Southern California, B.S. in Human Biology, 2024) and Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach of Diabetes Virtual Camp, Boston University, B.A. in Biology, 2023). This Closing Session summarized the program, conducted attendee evaluations and polls, and discussed future opportunities.

Session 14: Closing Session by Lauren Kim, Allison Kim, and Dr. Jason Kim.