Stockholm, 16.09.2022

Long-standing DZD researcher Prof. Dr. med. Martin Heni has been awarded the 2022 Minkowski Prize for his exceptional work on the insulin-resistant brain and its impacts on metabolism and fat distribution in the body. The prize will be handed over at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm on September 22.

Neuherberg/Stockholm, 14.09.2022

At the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting (September 19-23 in Stockholm), several researchers from the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) are to be recognized. This year’s EASD–Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence will be awarded to Dr. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, director at the Institute of Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Munich (IDF) and DZD researcher. She is working on the early detection and prevention of type 1 diabetes.

Dresden, 07.09.2022

Detailed characterization of human pancreatic islets is key to elucidate the pathophysiology of all forms of diabetes mellitus, including its most common form known as type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, access to pancreatic islets is limited and pancreatic tissue for islet retrieval can be either obtained from cadaveric or brain-dead organ donors or from patients undergoing pancreatectomy, henceforth defined as living donors. Moreover, different protocols for procurement of islets substantially impact their molecular profiles and function.

Neuherberg, 26.08.2022

A team of researchers from Helmholtz Munich, the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) and Novo Nordisk have developed a new hormone combination for the future treatment of type 2 diabetes. The scientists have combined the blood sugar-reducing effects of the drugs tesaglitazar and GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) in a new and highly effective drug. The advantage is that, by combining Tesaglitazar with GLP-1, the Tesaglitazar only enters tissue that contains GLP-1 receptors. This reduces the adverse effects of tesaglitazar while increasing the effects on sugar metabolism. The new drug has already been successfully tested in animal studies. The findings were published in 'Nature Metabolism'.

Neuherberg, 10.08.2022

Prof. Dr. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, Director of the Helmholtz Munich Institute of Diabetes Research (IDF) receives this year’s EASD–Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence. The prize is awarded to honor outstanding contributions to the understanding of diabetes, its disease mechanisms or its complications.

Ulm / Heidelberg / Düsseldorf, 11.07.2022

Diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy are the earliest complications after the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in adulthood. Up to 10% of patients develop these complications within the first year after T1D diagnosis. This is shown by the comparative analysis of two different German diabetes cohorts. The results of the study have now been published in 'Frontiers of Endocrinology'.

Düsseldorf, 28.06.2022

In recent years, several types of questionnaire-based scores have been developed to help determine a person’s future risk of type 2 diabetes. Little research has been done into whether these questionnaires lead to overweight people implementing lifestyle changes or whether they have negative consequences, such as anxiety. A new study has now addressed these questions.

Berlin/Tübingen, 31.05.2022

This year, the German Diabetes Association has awarded the Ferdinand Bertram Prize to Dr. Stephanie Kullmann, research group leader and deputy head of the department "Metabolic Neuroimaging" at the Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of Helmholtz Munich at the University of Tübingen. She received the prize for her work on "The role of central nervous processes in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus".

Berlin/Neuherberg, 27.05.2022

For his outstanding achievements in the research field “Diabetes and Cancer”, the German Diabetes Society (DDG) awards this year's Werner Creutzfeldt Prize to Helmholtz Munich scientist Stephan Herzig.

Berlin, 25.05.2022

At its Diabetes Congress (May 25-28, 2022), the German Diabetes Society (DDG) will honor several scientists of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD). The highest award of the DDG, the Paul Langerhans Medal, goes to the long-standing DZD researcher Professor Dr. Peter Nawroth.

Neuherberg/Berlin, 16.05.2022

Obesity, impaired blood glucose metabolism, and high blood pressure increase the risk of dying from COVID-19 in young and middle-aged people to a level mostly observed in people of advanced age. This is shown in a recent study based on data from the Lean European Open Survey for SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients (LEOSS).

Tübingen, 22.04.2022

A calorie-reduced diet cannot only delay the development of metabolic diseases, but also has a positive effect on the immune system. Researchers have now shown for the first time that this effect is mediated by an altered gut microbiome*, which slows down the deterioration of the immune system in old age (immune senescence). The study has been published in ‘Microbiome’.

Potsdam-Rehbrücke, 21.04.2022

The lipid metabolism plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about the molecular relationships. Using lipidomics, a modern analytical method, the team led by Dr. Fabian Eichelmann from DIfE and DZD identified those lipids that are statistically associated with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In addition, the scientists found that a diet with an increased proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) leads to a reduction in risk-associated lipids and an increase in low-risk lipids. The findings were published in the journal ‘Circulation’.

Düsseldorf, 13.04.2022

In the presence of Dr. Dirk Günnewig, state secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the German Diabetes Center presented the achievements of the Competence Center for Innovative Diabetes Therapy (KomIT) at a concluding event in hybrid format.

Düsseldorf, 11.04.2022

An analysis of current projections of the worldwide number of people with diabetes shows that the predicted increase will be reached considerably sooner than assumed on the basis of the projection models. This indicates that the sharp increase in diabetes that is already expected in the coming decades will be even greater.

Neuherberg, 07.03.2022

The identification of subgroups in diabetes and prediabetes, the development of new drugs for the treatment of obesity, insights into how lifestyle controls our genes – these are just some examples of research findings which in the future can benefit people with diabetes. At the German Congress of Endocrinology (March 16-19), researchers from the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) will present 'Diabetes Research – Patient-Focused Precision Medicine' in a symposium on March 17.

Tübingen, 25.02.2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become an epidemic, similar to the non-communicable diseases cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In a review article in ‘The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology’, Norbert Stefan and Kenneth Cusi first highlight the extent to which NAFLD and diabetes jointly occur worldwide. Then they address the major mechanisms that are involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and type 2 diabetes and discuss whether these mechanisms place NAFLD in an important position to better prevent and treat non-communicable diseases and the communicable disease COVID-19. Finally, using a holistic approach, integrating knowledge from early childhood development to older age, they propose solutions how this knowledge can be used for personalized prevention and treatment of NAFLD in the future.

Potsdam-Rehbrücke, 22.02.2022

Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are preceded by metabolic alterations. A current study by the DZD and DIfE indicates that specific lipid molecules (ceramides*), which are produced when the body metabolizes fats, are involved in the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The study also establishes a link between an unhealthy diet and unfavorable ceramide levels in the blood. This could explain, for example, why the risk of diabetes increases with frequent consumption of red and processed meat. As potential biomarkers, ceramides could enable more precise dietary approaches for the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases. The results of the study have now been published in ‘Nature Communications’.

Düsseldorf, 18.02.2022

A study by the German Diabetes Center has not only found that diabetes increases the risk of erectile dysfunction in men, but also that there are differences in its prevalence between different diabetes subgroups. What exactly are the findings? Does this allow conclusions to be drawn about future therapies?

Neuherberg, 14.02.2022

It only takes a blood test to detect the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes in children at an early stage and, thus, prevent severe metabolic derailments. Helmholtz Munich offers the world's largest population-based screening for type 1 diabetes in children, the Fr1da study. Researchers have now published a detailed cost analysis about the testing strategy. Introducing screenings into standard care would presumably cost the health care system in Germany 22 euros per child screened.

Tübingen, 11.02.2022

The Heart and Diabetes Center NRW (HDZ NRW) has honored Professor Norbert Stefan with the “glucohead 2021” award for his creative work in the field of diabetology. He received the award in particular for his research and educational work on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its involvement in the development of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.

Neuherberg, 08.02.2022

Voluntary fasting, for example interval fasting, is beneficial to health for many people, depending on their individual condition. For example, controlled periods of starvation can prevent and improve diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Researchers have now found that the immune system plays an important role in ensuring the positive effects of fasting on our bodies. The new findings will help develop more effective therapies based on fasting.

Neuherberg, 03.02.2022

Data is not only the answer to numerous questions in the business world; the same applies to biomedical research. In order to develop new therapies or prevention strategies for diseases, scientists need more and better data, faster and faster. However, the quality is often very variable and the integration of different data sets often almost impossible. With the Computational Health Center at Helmholtz Munich, one of Europe's largest research centers for artificial intelligence in medical science is now being established under the direction of Fabian Theis.

Düsseldorf, 21.01.2022

Prediabetes should not simply be understood as a "last warning" before the actual di-agnosis of diabetes because already the preliminary stage of diabetes mellitus increas-es the risk of serious complications. This was brought to light by an umbrella review conducted by the German Diabetes Center. What exactly are the results?

Neuherberg, 14.01.2022

Exercise causes the body to release hundreds of different signals that improve our health in many different ways. Now scientists have mapped these intrinsic signals and how they are released by different organs in mice following exercise at different times of the day. Their ‘Atlas of Exercise Metabolism’ is a major step toward developing more effective exercise therapies that are timed to the body clock.