Our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp is off to a fantastic start with Monday’s Opening Session & Introduction to Diabetes, Wednesday’s amazing sessions by Dr. Eugene Barrett of UVA and Dr. Maureen Gannon of Vanderbilt sharing such inspirational stories, and today’s fabulous sessions by our NYC Experts, Dr. Anthony Ferrante of Columbia and Dr. Ann Marie Schmidt of NYU sharing such exciting research stories.

We now have 246 students registered and raised almost $6,000 in donation!

There are 137 college students from 65 different colleges, and 109 high school students from 33 different states plus Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Dominica Republic, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and South Korea. These include 103 students who are of underrepresented minority in medicine and science.

On Monday, our students learned the basics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, how diabetes is diagnosed, how insulin regulates glucose homeostasis and how it fails in insulin resistance, how we can better manage our health and diabetes with lifestyle modifications, and the importance of heart disease as a major complication of diabetes. On Wednesday, Dr. Eugene Barrett discussed the important effects of high glucose on damaging our blood vessels, and Dr. Maureen Gannon shared an inspiring personal story of her winding path to success. Today, Dr. Anthony Ferrante explained how we maintain our body weights and the important role of leptin in this effort, and Dr. Ann Marie Schmidt discussed fascinating stories of her discovery of RAGE as a potential therapeutic target to treat many human diseases including diabetes.

While the current COVID-19 pandemic has affected our ability to engage physically, the virtual world is alive, and our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp is moving into the 2nd week with more exciting science to learn and share. Enjoy the weekend everyone, and please social distance, wear masks, and be safe!

Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp Team
Lauren, Allison, and Dr. Jason Kim

Session 1: Opening Session by Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster), Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), ana Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor)
Session 1: 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 Medical School)

The opening session outlines the goals, format, and learning objectives of this program.

Session 1: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This session introduces the topic of diabetes: different types and diagnostic criteria of diabetes, characteristic features of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, importance of glucose homeostasis and how insulin regulates our glucose levels, and insulin resistance and its role in development of type 2 diabetes. The session ends with a discussion on how to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes using lifestyle modifications (healthy diet and exercise) and different types of drugs.

Session 2: Diabetes and Blood Vessels by Dr. Eugene Barrett (Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Director of UVA Diabetes Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Past President of the American Diabetes Association, University of Virginia School of Medicine)

Session 2: Diabetes and Blood Vessels by Dr. Eugene Barrett (University of Virginia School of Medicine). Injury to both large and small blood vessels is the major clinical complication of having diabetes. High glucose concentrations injure blood vessels and other metabolic disturbances that accompany diabetes (high blood pressure, abnormal plasma lipid concentrations, obesity) combine to make matters worse. We are studying the early phases of blood vessel injury as occurs in diabetes to understand how we might prevent vascular injury and the associated morbidity (heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and visual impairment among them).

Session 3: One Scientist's Journey: Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Professor of Medicine, Cell & Developmental Biology, and Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, and Associate Dean of Faculty Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)

Session 3: One Scientist's Journey: Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). The goal of my presentation is to discuss how your life’s experiences shape who you are. I will discuss the importance of having great mentors and making the most of opportunities and curve balls that come your way. I will also talk about following where the science takes you and not being afraid to learn new things. I will end by describing the main biological questions and methods that my lab addresses and utilizes in our attempts to find therapies to prevent and treat diabetes.

Session 4: Obesity: Why Do I Weigh What I Weigh? by Dr. Anthony Ferrante (Tilden-Weger-Bieler Professor of Medicine, Chief of Preventive Medicine & Nutrition, Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons)

Session 4: Obesity: Why Do I Weigh What I Weigh? by Dr. Anthony Ferrante (Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons). In any year the average adult in the United States will gain less than one pound per year, yet will eat almost 1,000,000 calories of food. This means that the average individual’s caloric intake (food) equal energy expenditure to within 0.3-0.6%. How do we unconsciously so closely match our intake and expenditure? Over the last 25 years a number of the ways we regulate our body weight have been uncovered. We will discuss these findings and where current research is taking us.

Session 5: RAGE and Implications for Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction by Dr. Ann Marie Schmidt (Dr. Iven Young Professor of Endocrinology and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and Pathology, Director of Diabetes Research Program at NYU Langone Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine)

Session 5: RAGE and Implications for Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction by Dr. Ann Marie Schmidt (New York University Grossman School of Medicine). RAGE is a multi-ligand receptor of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Although originally discovered on account of its ability to bind the advanced glycation end products (AGEs), research has shown that RAGE is a multi-ligand receptor. Here, we present our findings linking RAGE to obesity and the suppression of thermogenesis in brown and browning adipocytes. Implications for therapeutic interventions will also be discussed.

Our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp marched on its 2nd week with Monday’s Session on “Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: A Marriage Made in Clinic” where our student interns learned about the health risk of rapidly rising prevalence of obesity in the U.S., the important causal relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes, and how inflammation plays a major role in its molecular link. This was then followed by Wednesday’s amazing sessions from Dr. Anath Shalev of University of Alabama at Birmingham who shared her exciting translational research on potential new diabetes drugs, and Dr. Ta Yuan Chang of Dartmouth College who shared his lifelong research on cholesterol trafficking and its role in dementia. The week 2 of our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp ended with more spectacular sessions from Dr. Richard Lee of Harvard Medical School who shared an important story on the danger of fructose and its increased use in our daily diet, and Dr. Marc Tetel of Wellesley College who shared his interesting research on estrogen and gut microbiome.

With more exciting sessions to come next week, enjoy the weekend everyone, and please social distance, wear masks, and be safe!

Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp Team
Lauren, Allison, and Dr. Jason Kim

Session 6: Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Marriage Made in Clinic 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 Medical School)

Session 6: Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This session introduces 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. This session further discusses 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 ends 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 7: Diabetes Research – from Bench to Bedside by Dr. Anath Shalev (Professor of Medicine and Director of UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine)

Session 7: Diabetes Research – from Bench to Bedside by Dr. Anath Shalev (University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine). I will discuss our discovery of TXNIP as an important factor in diabetes-associated death of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells and the beneficial effects of TXNIP inhibition in mouse models. I will then share the findings from our clinical trial in type 1 diabetes using an established drug (verapamil) to inhibit TXNIP.

Session 8: Cholesterol Storage in Atherosclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes, and Dementia by Dr. Ta Yuan Chang (Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine)

Session 8: Cholesterol Storage in Atherosclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes, and Dementia by Dr. Ta Yuan Chang (Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine). Discuss the cholesterol storage process in health and in various disease conditions, and the approaches that can be taken to minimize the cholesterol storage process in the body and in the brain.

Session 9: Fructose, Sucrose and Diabetes by Dr. Richard Lee (Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

Session 9: Fructose, Sucrose and Diabetes by Dr. Richard Lee (Harvard Medical School). We will discuss fructose as an important sugar in our daily lives, and how fructose can influence glucose metabolism. We will address basic mechanisms of fructose metabolism, and how fructose is similar to glucose but very different in some settings.

Session 10: Estrogens, Metabolism and the Gut Microbiome by Dr. Marc Tetel (Dorothy and Charles Jenkins Distinguished Chair in Science, Professor and Chair of Neuroscience, Wellesley College)

Session 10: Estrogens, Metabolism and the Gut Microbiome by Dr. Marc Tetel (Wellesley College). Estrogens have profound effects on metabolism and weight gain in women and female rodents. For example, post-menopausal women have decreased levels of estrogens and tend to gain weight, which increases their risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria and viruses in the gut and the chemicals they produce, is important in maintaining a healthy gut and immune system. In addition, the gut microbiome has been implicated in a variety of disorders and diseases, including diabetes and obesity. In this presentation, I will discuss our collaboration with Dr. Jason Kim (UMass Medical School) to study the effects of estrogens and diet on metabolism and gut microbiota in female mice.

Our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp enters its 3rd week with Monday’s Session on “Investigative Research 101” where our student interns learned about the investigative process involving scientific hypothesis, review of research articles, approaches to designing experiments, and presentation of scientific results. Our student interns also learned about the importance of conducting ethical, unbiased, and reproducible research and the role of investigative research in medical training. This was followed by Wednesday’s fabulous sessions from Dr. Olga Gupta of UT Southwestern Medical Center who shared her innovative psychosocial approach of using pets to improve self-management of type 1 diabetes, and Dr. Jiandie Lin of University of Michigan who shared his exciting scientific approach to study fatty liver disease using state-of-the-art single-cell technologies. The week 3 of our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp ended with more amazing sessions from Dr. Fumihiko Urano of Washington University in St. Louis who discussed the important potential of genetic testing for diabetes and Wolfram Syndrome, and Dr. Adolfo Garcia-Ocana of Mount Sinai School of Medicine who shared his interesting research on cellular factors that increase insulin-producing beta cells.

As we are heading into the final week of our program, enjoy the summer weekend while practicing social distance, wearing masks, and being safe!

Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp Team
Lauren, Allison, and Dr. Jason Kim

Session 11: Investigative Research 101 by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

Session 11: Investigative Research 101 by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This introduction to investigative research presents the important steps in investigative process, a requisite tool that our scientists and physicians use to conduct research and practice medicine. This session discusses the intricate steps in generating a scientific hypothesis based on a critical review of research articles, designing a scientific experiment using various approaches, expecting outcomes and pitfalls, and presenting scientific results. The session ends with a discussion on the ethics of science and the importance of responsible research.

Session 12: Innovative Strategies for Improving Glycemic Control in Toddlers and Teens with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Dr. Olga T. Gupta (Assistant Professor of Medicine and Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

Session 12: Innovative Strategies for Improving Glycemic Control in Toddlers and Teens with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Dr. Olga T. Gupta (UT Southwestern Medical Center). Managing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in preschool-aged children and adolescents has unique challenges that can negatively impact glycemic control and parental coping. Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the deterioration of glycemic control in patients with T1DM and currently there are few efficient and cost effective tools to support the adolescent population during this difficult time. In a recent pilot study, I found that incorporating the structured care of a pet into a diabetes self-management routine improved the HbA1c level in adolescent patients with T1DM who had not achieved their target glycemic control. Similarly, behavioral challenges that are common among young children, including mealtime and bedtime habits, can be exacerbated in young children with T1DM, yielding significant parental distress and poor glycemic control. To address these family-related issues, we developed a family centered, camp-based multi-component intervention in young children with T1DM that improved HbA1c and perceived QOL and stress in their mothers.

Session 13: Single-Cell Technologies: Studying Metabolic Disease One Cell at a Time by Dr. Jiandie Lin (Bradley M. Patten Collegiate Professor of Life Sciences, Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School)

Session 13: Single-Cell Technologies: Studying Metabolic Disease One Cell at a Time by Dr. Jiandie Lin (University of Michigan Medical School). All tissues comprise heterogeneous cell types that work together to maintain tissue function. The emerging technologies of analyzing single cells in complex tissues provide unprecedented details on cell-cell signaling, metabolism, and disease. I will briefly touch on these new technologies and their applications in metabolic disease research.

Session 14: Genetic Testing for Diabetes by Dr. Fumihiko Urano (Samuel E. Schechter Professor of Medicine, Professor of Medicine and Pathology & Immunology, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis)

Session 14: Genetic Testing for Diabetes by Dr. Fumihiko Urano (Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis). Although diabetes is a heterogeneous disease with a complex genetic etiology, recent studies have revealed that up to 5% of cases of diabetes are caused by a mutation in a single gene. In this session, I will discuss the benefits of genetic testing and personalized medicine in diabetes patients.

Session 15: Regeneration of Insulin-Producing Cells for Diabetes by Dr. Adolfo Garcia-Ocana (Professor of Medicine, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Session 15: Regeneration of Insulin-Producing Cells for Diabetes by Dr. Adolfo Garcia-Ocana (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai). Regeneration of insulin-producing cells is a potential strategy to treat diabetes. Regeneration can occur through duplication of existing insulin-producing cells or conversion of non-insulin-producing cells into insulin-producing cells. In this session, we will focus on various strategies and approaches to stimulate regeneration focusing mostly in duplication of existing insulin-producing cells.

Our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp entered its final week with Monday’s Session on “Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School” where our student interns learned about what experiences high school students can engage and what curricular & extracurricular activities college students can explore to best prepare for future medical school and graduate school, what to expect when applying to professional schools, and what lies ahead in respective careers. This was followed by Wednesday’s fabulous sessions from Dr. Sonia Najjar from Ohio University who shared her exciting research on a protein, CEACAM and its important role in various human diseases, and Dr. Gary Cline from Yale who shared his innovative approach of using PET imaging to understand human beta cells. The final week of our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp ended with more amazing sessions from Dr. Feng Liu from University of Texas at San Antonio who discussed his interesting research on an important protein, adiponectin, made by our fat cells, and Dr. Patrick Tso from University of Cincinnati whose animated discussion of his lifelong research on intestinal fat absorption gave a triumphant end to our 4-week long Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp. Our Closing Session polled some of our students’ favorite sessions, what they have learned from our program, and what they hope to see in our future programs.

We are utmost grateful to all of our Expert scientists and clinicians who have volunteered their time and efforts for the program and given such fantastic presentations to our student interns to bring an incredible success to our inaugural Diabetes Virtual Camp.

We are also most grateful to the generous contributions from our students and their families as we have raised $6,040 for our Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp that has been donated to the American Diabetes Association.

Soon after our program ended, we have been in communication with the American Diabetes Association who has offered to co-sponsor our future programs starting with the Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp to take place in October.

In all, it was fabulous to have so many wonderful, bright future stars in our virtual program, to hear that our program has made such positive impact to their summer which has been affected by COVID-19 pandemic, and to know that our student interns will take their new knowledge to make our communities more equitable and far better place for all of us to enjoy a healthy and caring lifestyle.

Enjoy the remaining summer while practicing social distance, wearing masks, and being safe, and we hope to see you all in Diabetes Virtual Fall Camp!

Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp Team
Lauren, Allison, and Dr. Jason Kim

Session 16: Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School and a Lifelong Career in Academia 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 Medical School)

Session 16: Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School and a Lifelong Career in Academia by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This session introduces 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. This session further presents a bird’s-eye view of the medical school and graduate school admissions process. The session ends 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 17: A Molecular Mechanism Linking Fatty Liver Disease to Atherosclerosis by Dr. Sonia Najjar (OHF John J. Kopchick Ph.D. Endowed Eminent Research Chair Professor if Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine)

Session 17: A Molecular Mechanism Linking Fatty Liver Disease to Atherosclerosis by Dr. Sonia Najjar (Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its progressive form Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are reaching an epidemic growth. If uncontrolled, NASH can progress to liver adenocarcinoma that necessitates liver transplant. To date, there is no FDA-approved drug against NAFLD/NASH, owing largely to our limited understanding of its underlying mechanisms. Moreover, NASH is linked strongly to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular abnormalities of the metabolic syndrome. The Najjar laboratory has focused on delineating a unifying mechanism of these cardiometabolic abnormalities with an overarching goal to gain a thorough insight on their pathogenesis and develop more effective therapies.

Session 18: Why Bother Imaging Insulin Producing Cells? by Dr. Gary Cline (Professor of Medicine, Director of Analytical Core, Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center at Yale, Co-Director of Clinical Metabolism Core, Yale Diabetes Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine)

Session 18: Why Bother Imaging Insulin Producing Cells? by Dr. Gary Cline (Yale University School of Medicine). Insulin is necessary for regulating the levels of glucose in the blood. And, imaging is an important tool to understanding the reasons that people with diabetes do not produce enough insulin. This talk will discuss progress in imaging of the pancreas and its insulin secreting cells.

Session 19: Insulin and Adiponectin Signaling and Regulation in Metabolism by Dr. Feng Liu (Professor of Pharmacology, University of Texas at San Antonio Long School of Medicine)

Session 19: Insulin and Adiponectin Signaling and Regulation in Metabolism by Dr. Feng Liu (University of Texas at San Antonio Long School of Medicine). Insulin regulates glucose homeostasis by promoting glucose uptake into fat and muscle cells and by reducing glucose production in the liver. Adiponectin is an adipose tissue secretory molecule that plays an important role in anti-inflammation and anti-insulin resistance. Insulin and adiponectin exert their functions by binding to their respective membrane receptors. In my lecture, I will discuss the signaling pathways downstream of the insulin receptor and the adiponectin receptor. I will also discuss the mechanisms regulating the activities and function of these signaling pathways.

Session 20: Intestinal Absorption of Lipids by Dr. Patrick Tso (Professor and Mary M. Emery Chair of Pathology, Director of Cincinnati Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine)

Session 20: Intestinal Absorption of Lipids by Dr. Patrick Tso (University of Cincinnati College of Medicine). This session will discuss the major dietary lipids, digestion and uptake of dietary lipids, intracellular transport of the lipid digestion products, the re-synthesis of lipid digestion products to form triglycerides, and the formation and secretion of chylomicrons. I will also address why it is important to transport lipids in chylomicrons.

Session 21: Closing Session by Lauren Kim of Wellesley High School (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster), Allison Kim of Boston University (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), and Dr. Jason Kim of University of Massachusetts Medical School (Advisor). This session summarizes the program and discusses future opportunities.

We’d like to share another exciting science that was just published in this month’s scientific journal, Cell Metabolism, resulting from our collaborative research with Dr. Anath Shalev’s laboratory at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that discusses the exciting discovery of an orally available small molecule with therapeutic potential to treat type 2 diabetes.