Sinai Health's giants of diabetes research

Throughout their distinguished careers, Drs. Drucker and Zinman have attracted highly talented junior and mid-career clinician-scientists to Sinai Health, allowing us to continue building on the foundation set by these two pioneers.

Dr. Daniel Drucker, senior investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

• Fundamental research on gut hormones almost single-handedly led to the development of two new classes of drugs for diabetes, improving patient care worldwide.
• 2021 recipient of the Canada Gairdner International Award, one of the most prestigious international prizes in the biosciences
• 2022 inductee to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
• 2023 Wolf Prize in medicine for research that has improved the health of millions living with diabetes worldwide. The Wolf Prize is awarded to outstanding scientists and artists from around the world for achievements in the interest of humanity and friendly relations among people.

Dr. Bernard Zinman, endocrinologist, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

• Co-led the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), the largest and most comprehensive type 1 diabetes complications study ever conducted, proving tightly controlling blood sugars through intensive insulin therapy could prevent life-threatening complications, forever changing the standard of care worldwide.
• Led trial on medication Empagliflozin, which showed a remarkable 38 per cent reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes among type 2 diabetes patients. Empagliflozin is the first and only diabetes drug on the market today that reduces the risk of death from diabetes-associated heart failure.

Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, endocrinologist, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

• Co-led a study demonstrating that women with gestational diabetes have a two-fold higher risk of major cardiovascular events than their peers.
• Findings of this work demonstrated a screening test already being performed in clinic is capable of identifying future risk of cardiovascular complications in women at an early point in the disease’s development.

Dr. Caroline Kramer, endocrinologist, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

• Has worked on clinical studies aimed at understanding the interaction of obesity with metabolic disease and the role of novel medications in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
• Part of a new trial on intermittent fasting in individuals living with type 2 diabetes.