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

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

The Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp kicked off today with Opening Session where Lauren Kim (Founder, Director, and Webmaster) and Allison Kim (Associate Director and Outreach) made an introduction and shared our goals for the program. This was followed by Session 1, where Dr. Jason Kim of the University of Massachusetts Medical School presented the Introduction to Diabetes by discussing the different types of diabetes with diagnostic criteria, characteristic features of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, the importance of glucose homeostasis with insulin action and secretion, and the major role of insulin resistance in the development of type 2 diabetes. Dr. Kim also shared his insights on how to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes using lifestyle modifications (healthy diet and exercise) and different types of drugs currently in use to treat diabetes. We are excited to meet our student interns from all across the world to better understand diabetes and inspire our next generation of physicians and scientists.

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). 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: A Career in Diabetes Research as a Physician Scientist by Dr. Raghu Mirmira (University of Chicago)
Session 3: Four Grams of Glucose by Dr. David Wasserman (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)

With more than 600 registered students for the Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp, our Q&A period at the end of yesterday’s Opening Session left many great questions from our students unanswered. Hence, we held a pre-session Q&A event today, before the start of sessions, where Dr. Kim addressed some of those previous questions. Today’s Session 2 was led by Dr. Raghu Mirmira of The University of Chicago, who shared inspirational stories of his successful path to academic medicine and his exciting translational research on identifying new therapeutic targets to treat failing pancreatic islets in diabetes. This was followed by Session 3 that was led by Dr. David Wasserman of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, who shared his pioneering research on the importance of multi-organ systems in maintaining glucose homeostasis during exercise in healthy and diabetic subjects. Following their presentations, our DVWC interns again asked outstanding and insightful questions for our Experts.

Session 2: A Career in Diabetes Research as a Physician Scientist by Dr. Raghu Mirmira (Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Director of Translational Research Center, and Associate Vice Chair for Translational Research, The University of Chicago). I will talk about how my career was influenced by my mentors and how my career path progressed to evolve into a “bench-to-bedside” approach to finding new treatments and cures for people living with diabetes. My session will end with a discussion of some of my most exciting research, which has allowed me to develop a drug that was screened in a fish model of diabetes, then progressed to mouse models, and is now the focus of a new company that is bringing the drug to human clinical trials.

Session 3: Four Grams of Glucose by Dr. David Wasserman (Annie Mary Lyle Chair and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and Director of Vanderbilt Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). The blood contains four grams of glucose – a mere teaspoon. This small amount of glucose is so important to the function of the nervous system that the body has evolved a complex system to protect it and maintain “glucose homeostasis.” The body protects blood glucose even during exercise when muscles may increase their glucose uptake from the blood by ten-fold. This session describes how a well-orchestrated hormone response preserves the precious four grams of glucose in the blood under different conditions and the challenges faced by people with diabetes.

We are truly honored to host tomorrow’s Session 4 by Prof. Heinrich Taegtmeyer, who will speak about “The Krebs Cycle – Known Since 1937 and Still Turning.” Any college or high school student studying biology may have learned about The Krebs Cycle (also known as the TCA cycle), named after the Nobel Laureate, Hans Adolf Krebs, who discovered this fundamental biological process used by all aerobic organisms in 1937. Following his M.D. from the University of Freiburg in Germany and clinical training at the Harvard Medical School, Prof. Taegtmeyer received his Ph.D. training under Prof. Hans Krebs. There, Prof. Taegtmeyer designed an improved and instrumental model of isolated working rat heart that paved the way for the decades of groundbreaking scientific discoveries that followed on the importance of metabolic regulation of the heart and its remodeling in diseased conditions. This excerpt from his interview with Circulation Research in 2019 reflects on his humble beginning and his remarkable passion for science, and we are truly excited to meet him virtually tomorrow!

Dr. Taegtmeyer’s session will be followed by Dr. Kim’s Session 5 on “Obesity & Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic,” where he will discuss the role of energy balance in body weight regulation and obesity as a major cause of type 2 diabetes with underlying molecular mechanisms.

Session 4: The Krebs Cycle - Known Since 1937 and Still Turning by Dr. Heinrich Taegtmeyer (University of Texas McGovern Medical School)
Session 5: Obesity & Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

Following my pre-session Q&A event to address many excellent questions from our students, Dr. Heinrich Taegtmeyer of the University of Texas McGovern Medical School led a fabulous Session 4 with a movie-like presentation of a fascinating tale about the discovery of the Krebs Cycle by Sir Hans Krebs. Our student interns were much entertained by Dr. Taegtmeyer’s story that had a little bit of everything; from World War II and the Hitler’s Gift, The True Story of the Scientists Expelled by the Nazi Regime, the journal Nature editor’s rejection letter on Sir Hans Krebs’ findings in 1937, receiving the 1953 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, becoming the Whitney Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, the profound answer Sir Hans Krebs gave when he was asked “What is the major function of the Krebs cycle?” in 1980 shortly before he passed away in 1981, and his last original paper to be published in 1983. An incredible story indeed! This was followed by Session 5, where Dr. Jason Kim of the University of Massachusetts Medical School shared the historical perspective on the causal relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes and its evolving paradigms with new molecular mechanisms involving inflammation and cytokines. The Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp continues to inspire our interns as the next generation of physicians and scientists!

Session 4: The Krebs Cycle - Known Since 1937 and Still Turning by Dr. Heinrich Taegtmeyer (Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Co-Director of Texas Heart Institute, and Associate Editor of Cardiology, University of Texas McGovern Medical School). Dr. Taegtmeyer welcomes our interns.

Session 4: The Krebs Cycle - Known Since 1937 and Still Turning by Dr. Heinrich Taegtmeyer (University of Texas McGovern Medical School)

Session 5: Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster), Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), and Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor) are joined by Becky Barnett and Dr. Alicia Harper, the Program Directors of the American Diabetes Association with our DVWC interns

Session 5: Obesity & Diabetes: 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). 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 6: What Causes Type 1 Diabetes? Large Knowledge Gaps Remain by Dr. David Harlan (University of Massachusetts Medical School)
Session 7: Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease by Dr. Matthew Brady (The University of Chicago)

On this last day of January, the Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp continues with more amazing Session 6 by Dr. Dave Harlan of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, who presented type 1 diabetes as his professional passion for over 35 years, sharing his insights on this autoimmune disease, interesting pancreas transplantation study involving identical twins, and recent findings and exciting new therapeutic approaches to treat type 1 diabetes. This was followed by fantastic Session 7, where Dr. Matthew Brady of The University of Chicago shared the important role of adipose tissue in human diseases that highlighted the many interesting and innovative aspects of adipocytes involved in a possible link between the social behavior and breast cancer as well as between the sleep duration and obesity. Our DVWC interns continue to observe and inquire with challenging questions as our Experts stimulate their growing interest in diabetes!

Session 6: What Causes Type 1 Diabetes? Large Knowledge Gaps Remain by Dr. David Harlan (William and Doris Krupp Chair in Diabetes and Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Diabetes, and Co-Director, Diabetes Center of Excellence, University of Massachusetts Medical School). Dr. Harlan welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 6: What Causes Type 1 Diabetes? Large Knowledge Gaps Remain by Dr. David Harlan (University of Massachusetts Medical School). For several decades, the central hypothesis underlying type 1 diabetes pathogenesis has been that autoreactive T lymphocytes kill the only cells in the body that can make insulin, i.e. the so called beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. Considerable data supports that hypothesis, and yet no therapies have been developed with sufficient safety and efficacy to be used clinically. It is fair to ask if gaps in our understanding of disease mechanisms may be at play and several large knowledge gaps can be identified. The lecture will review the data supporting the central hypothesis of T1D pathogenesis, but then also some of the major questions that remain to be answered.

Session 7: Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease by Dr. Matthew Brady (Associate Professor of Medicine, Chair of Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, and Director, Cell Biology Core of Diabetes Research Center, University of Chicago). Dr. Brady welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 7: Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease by Dr. Matthew Brady (The University of Chicago). Our lab studies the role of adipose tissue in energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity and disease progression. We have an established collaboration that investigates the role of social isolation in rodents on mammary cancer initiation and progression, including the role of the mammary gland adipose depot. Additionally, we are conducting studies on women undergoing vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery to investigate the impact of the intervention on adipose tissue circadian gene expression and insulin sensitivity.

I hope all of you are excited about this weekend’s all-star lineup of renowned diabetes Experts!

On Saturday at 11 am (Eastern Time), we will all be privileged to meet the opening speaker, Prof. Gerald Shulman of Yale University School of Medicine, who is arguably the most influential figure in diabetes research, having identified the first molecular pathway by which lipid causes insulin resistance and led a series of exciting paradigm shifts to advance our understanding of type 2 diabetes.

As an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Banting Medal for Lifetime Scientific Achievement, the top scientific honor awarded by the American Diabetes Association, Prof. Shulman has made a series of groundbreaking discoveries throughout his lifelong career while continuously developing new therapies for treating type 2 diabetes and becoming a paragon of passionate physician-scientist.

This will be followed by an equally honorable scientist, Prof. Michael Snyder of Stanford University, arguably the most impactful figure in the world of genomics, whose groundbreaking discoveries in functional genomics and integrative omics have paved exciting new ways to understanding the molecular basis of human diseases and the development of diagnostics and therapeutics.

As the Founding Chair of the Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University and the Department of Genetics at Stanford University and as an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Snyder has also made seminal discoveries throughout his lifelong scientific while launching the exciting new “omics” approach to personalized medicine and pioneering the use of wearables technologies for precision health.

You won’t want to miss this once in a lifetime lineup of incredibly accomplished scientists sharing their passion for diabetes and medicine!

Our email containing the Zoom link for this weekend’s sessions will go out a day before, and please keep a lookout for this email on Friday. See you all Saturday!

Session 8: “Understanding Insulin Resistance – The Root Cause of Type 2 Diabetes” by Dr. Gerald Shulman (Yale University School of Medicine) at 11 am (Eastern Time), and

Session 9: “Precision Diabetes Using Wearables and Big Data” by Dr. Michael Snyder (Stanford University School of Medicine) at 11:30 am (Eastern Time).

Session 8: Understanding Insulin Resistance – The Root Cause of Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Gerald Shulman (Yale University School of Medicine)
Session 9: Big Data, Health, Wearables and COVID-19 by Dr. Michael Snyder (Stanford University School of Medicine)

Our Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp interns were treated to two of the most influential scientists in the field of diabetes and genomics. Dr. Jerry Shulman of Yale University School of Medicine gracefully led Session 8 as he shared his lifelong diabetes research in humans and animal models and his discoveries on the molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance with DAG-mediated activation of PKC-epsilon as a unifying theory of lipid-induced insulin resistance in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Dr. Shulman also shared his recent findings on the cellular mechanism of ectopic lipid deposition in the liver and muscle as the root cause of insulin resistance. This was followed by a spectacular Session 9 from Dr. Mike Snyder of Stanford University School of Medicine, giving us such animated presentation about the importance of individual-based medicine and the exciting potential of using combined “omics” profiling of our genes, proteins, metabolites, and other biomarkers over time to map our health and early detect major diseases including diabetes, sharing his personal story. Dr. Snyder also shared an exciting glimpse into our future of medicine using wearable sensors that monitor various clinical parameters, managing our health via personal devices. From the many outstanding questions from our students that followed, our DVWC interns are most stimulated by their exciting research and inspired to contribute to future science and medicine.

Session 8: Understanding Insulin Resistance – The Root Cause of Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Gerald Shulman (George R. Cowgill Professor of Physiological Chemistry, Professor of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology) and Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Co-Director of Yale Diabetes Research Center, and Elected Member of National Academy of Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine). Dr. Shulman welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 8: Understanding Insulin Resistance – The Root Cause of Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Gerald Shulman (Yale University School of Medicine). This session will focus on the cellular and molecular basis of insulin resistance in liver, muscle and white adipose tissue in both humans and animal models of type 2 diabetes. A simple unifying hypothesis for how ectopic lipid causes insulin resistance in these tissues will also be discussed.

Session 9: Big Data, Health, Wearables and COVID-19 by Dr. Michael Snyder (Stanford University School of Medicine). Dr. Snyder welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 9: Big Data, Health, Wearables and COVID-19 by Dr. Michael Snyder (Stanford W. Ascherman, MD, FACS Professor in Genetics, Chair, Department of Genetics, and Director, Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine)

Session 9: Big Data, Health, Wearables and COVID-19 by Dr. Michael Snyder (Stanford University School of Medicine). We will discuss using advanced technologies and big data to analyze and treat the heterogeneity of diabetes. These include deep profiling using omics technologies, as well as use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring technologies for analyzing healthy and prediabetes.

Session 10: A Parallax View of Type 1 Diabetes by Dr. Carmella Evans-Molina (Indiana University School of Medicine)
Session 11: Next Generation Mouse Models in the New Era of Precision Medicine by Dr. Kent Lloyd (University of California Davis)

Our Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp interns participated in more exciting sessions yesterday as they had the opportunity to virtually meet two renowned physicians and scientists in the field of type 1 diabetes and mouse genomics. Dr. Carmella Evans-Molina of the University of Indiana School of Medicine elegantly led Session 10, describing different stages of type 1 diabetes progression and the importance of early intervention, having learned from important clinical studies, including the international Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Study. Dr. Evans-Molina further discussed her exciting clinical research program examining a role for endoplasmic reticulum stress in beta cells in type 1 diabetes and the therapeutic potential of targeting the beta cells with combined protective and immune therapy as part of a precision health approach to type 1 diabetes. This was followed by a fascinating session 11 from Dr. Kent Lloyd of the University of California Davis, who began by sharing his personal story of a winding path to his scientific success and discussed the old and new concept of precision medicine. Dr. Lloyd then explained different approaches to generating mouse models of human diseases and how Next-Gen mouse models can be integrated into precision medicine by precisely modeling a patient’s disease for accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment, improving the overall health outcomes. Our DVWC interns are inspired by their exciting clinical and basic science research that comes together for improving our health.

Session 10: A Parallax View of Type 1 Diabetes by Dr. Carmella Evans-Molina (Eli Lilly and Company Professor of Pediatric Diabetes, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Director of IU Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Diabetes Program Director, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, and Director of Indiana DRC Islet & Phydiology Core, Indiana University School of Medicine). Dr. Evans-Molina welcomes our DVWC interns.

Session 10: A Parallax View of Type 1 Diabetes by Dr. Carmella Evans-Molina (Indiana University School of Medicine). Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system becomes activated against the pancreatic β cells, leading to deficiency of the hormone insulin and chronically elevated blood glucose levels. Our research is focused on understanding the molecular pathways in the β cells that contribute to type 1 diabetes development, with the goal of targeting these pathways to help preserve insulin secretion in those with or at risk of type 1 diabetes.

Session 11: Next Generation Mouse Models in the New Era of Precision Medicine by Dr. Kent Lloyd (University of California Davis). Dr. Lloyd welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 11: Next Generation Mouse Models in the New Era of Precision Medicine by Dr. Kent Lloyd (Professor of Surgery, Director of UC Davis Mouse Biology Program, Associate Director of UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of UC Davis Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, University of California Davis)

Session 11: Next Generation Mouse Models in the New Era of Precision Medicine by Dr. Kent Lloyd (University of California Davis). Animal models in biomedical research provide essential insights into a systems-level understanding of biological processes and mechanisms of disease that are unable to be revealed solely by molecular, cellular, or tissue/organ studies alone. In particular, mice have become the quintessential model organism to study pathogenesis, especially with regard to in vivo annotation of gene function in health and disease. To date, however, the scientific value of mouse models has been in basic, applied, and preclinical research. This session will reveal a more forward-looking approach in which mouse models can have immediate, real-time clinical utility to inform disease diagnostics and patient care in the new paradigm of precision medicine.

To receive an electronic Certificate for Diabetes Virtual Camp, you must have attended all of the Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp sessions (unless your absence was previously communicated and noted with reasons) and send a formal email to Diabetes Virtual Camp with a subject heading "Requesting a Diabetes Virtual Camp Certificate" and including the following information: 1) Your full name for the certificate, 2) Indicate and remind us which session(s) you may have missed and why, 3) State your career choice and goals, 4) Describe briefly what you have learned from Diabetes Virtual Camp, and 5) Indicate what topics you would like future Diabetes Virtual Camps to cover. Given a large number of students for the Winter Camp, please be patient as it may take 2~3 weeks for us to process your Certificate. Thank you.

Session 12: What Ails the Beta Cell in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus? by Dr. Mehboob Hussain (University of Michigan Medical School)
Session 13: Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)
Session 14: Closing Session by Lauren Kim, Allison Kim, and Dr. Jason Kim

The exciting Finale Sessions of our Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp began with Dr. Mehboob Hussain leading Session 12, where he elegantly shared his lifelong research on understanding why beta cells fail in type 2 diabetes. He began by sharing his personal story on his path to academic medicine that spanned multiple countries and institutions. Dr. Hussain then gave a wonderfully animated discussion on the important action of incretin in regulating beta cells and the protective role of PKA signal against beta-cell failure while sharing his insights on potential methods to engineer stronger beta cells. This was followed by our last Expert session from Dr. Jason Kim, Session 13, where he began with an overview of his diabetes research program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Kim then shared his insights on the important steps of investigative research and how to best prepare for medical school and graduate school where he gave an overview of the medical school admissions process and a glimpse into the clinical residency training program, academic medicine, and “a day in the life of a professor.” As always, our students asked excellent questions that were addressed during the last Q/A event.

Session 12: What Ails the Beta Cell in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus? by Dr. Mehboob Hussain (Professor of Internal MedicUne, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Dinbetes, University of Michigan Medical School). Dr. Hussain welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 12: What Ails the Beta Cell in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus? by Dr. Mehboob Hussain (University of Michigan Medical School). In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the insulin producing pancreatic beta cells fail to work properly. But we still do not know why they fail. Early in the disease, Incretin hormones can reverse beta cell failure. We examine how incretin hormones work and use them as tools to peer into the beta cells and to find what may be defective. I will give a brief overview of what we know so far and show you a few exciting new findings from my laboratory.

Session 13: Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). Dr. Kim welcomes our DVWC interns

Session 13: Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School 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 13: Preparing for Medical School & Graduate School 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 14: Closing Session by Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster), Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor), and Becky Barnett and Alicia Harper (American Diabetes Association). Our Closing Session 14 began with heartfelt closing remarks by Ms. Becky Barnett from the American Diabetes Association, sharing her triumphant personal story of living with type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years. Lauren Kim, the Founder, Director, and Webmaster of Diabetes Virtual Camp, continued the Closing Session by thanking the students, clinicians, and researchers from all across the world for participating in our Diabetes Virtual Winter Camp, sharing the story of how our virtual internship program began last year amid COVID-19 pandemic, and wholeheartedly expressing our appreciation for the generous contributions from our interns as we have raised over $3,400 to be donated to the American Diabetes Association to support diabetes research, education, and care. After enthusiastic poll results of our surveys and feedback on our program, Dr. Kim closed out the session by thanking all of our student interns for participating in Diabetes Virtual Camp and encouraging them to stay passionate toward their goals of becoming our next generation of physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals.

Lauren Kim of Wellesley High School (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster) thanks our DVWC Interns in closing remarks.

Allison Kim of Boston University (Associate Director and Director Outreach) thanks our DVWC Interns in closing remarks.

Becky Barnett of American Diabetes Association (Director of Youth and Family Initiatives) thanks our DVWC Interns in closing remarks.

Dr. Alicia Harper of American Diabetes Association (Associate Director) thanks our DVWC interns in closing remarks.

Dr. Jason Kim of University of Massachusetts Medical School (Advisor) thanks our DVWC interns in closing remarks.