Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism News and Events

Dr. Mark Herman, Section Chief, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, and Dr. Kristin Eckel-Mahan, UT Health Houston, were awarded an NIH P30 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to establish the Houston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (H-NORC). The Center’s leadership team includes Drs. Sean Hartig, Benjamin Arinkiel, Stephanie Sissly, Chunmei Wang, and Sameer Mattar. (Funding Period: 5 years, Funding Amount: $5,929,648). Read the H-NORC Announcement.

Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, has been named Co-Chair of the American Diabetes Association’s Professional Practice Committee for Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026. The ADA Standards of Care establish the standards for diabetes care by serving as an essential guiding document and reference for clinicians, policymakers, and others worldwide.

On December 14-15, the Alan J Garber Annual Symposium on Advanced Diabetes Management for Endocrine Fellows was held virtually. The symposium is named in memory, and in honor, of Dr. Alan Garber (Feb. 27, 1943 – April 9, 2020), Professor, Medicine, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology at BCM.

Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, chaired the symposium. Dr. Vijay Nambi, Associate Professor, Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research, spoke on "Comprehensive Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Type 2 Diabetes."

Dr. Qiancheng Zhao, Assistant Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, was featured in Yale School of Medicine on August 28 for the article: Catalyzing Impact through Focused Research Funding: Rui Chang

Dr. Sean Hartig, Associate Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, was featured on Ivoox on August 29 for the episode: Adipose Tissue & Body Fat: Obesity, Insulin, Leptin, Fertility, Weight Loss & GLP-2 Drugs

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has announced Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism as President, Medicine & Science, effective January 2024. Dr. Bajaj has served on the Finance Committee, Research Grant Review Committee and the Scientific Sessions Meeting Planning Committee and currently serves on the Science and Health Care Executive Council and Board of Directors of the ADA. He will be the first BCM physician to serve as President of Medicine & Science for the ADA and will also serve as  co-chair of the ADA Science and Health Care Executive Council. Founded in 1939, the American Diabetes Association is a network of more than 565,000 volunteers, their families and caregivers, a professional society of nearly 12,000 health care professionals, as well as more than 350 staff members. 

The Alan J Garber Annual Symposium on Advanced Diabetes Management for Endocrine Fellows was held virtually on Dec. 16–17. The symposium is named in memory, and in honor, of Dr. Alan Garber (Feb. 27, 1943 – April 9, 2020), professor of medicine, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism chaired the symposium. Dr. Vijay Nambi, associate professor, Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research, spoke on "Comprehensive Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Type 2 Diabetes".

The 17th Annual Diabetes Symposium will be held virtually at BSLMC on Saturday, Oct. 28. Both CME and MOC credit is available.  Registration is free for all BCM fellows and residents. For our BCM endocrinology section faculty the registration has been waived. 

Our endocrinology section faculty can register as below: 

• Register here
• Choose the BCM/SL Physician fee of $75
• In the DISCOUNT CODE box place the word “ENDOPHY”
• This will subtract the $75 fee and they can proceed with registering for free.

17th Annual Diabetes Symposium: Diabetes Update 2023

The 17th Annual Diabetes Symposium is a 1-day virtual course. The purpose of this symposium is to update health care providers with state-of-the-art information regarding evaluation and treatment of patients with diabetes. There is a need to better understand evolving practice trends in this patient population.  Physicians should demonstrate competence in identifying optimal therapeutic interventions to prevent the cardiovascular and renal complications of diabetes as per the guidelines published by the ADA. In addition, they should understand the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with diabetes and heart failure. Furthermore, they should understand newer strategies for weight loss in obese patients. Physicians should also understand the management of diabetes in hospitalized patients including the use of continuous glucose monitors. In addition, they should be able to apply new diabetes technology for insulin delivery and understand the advantages (e.g. reduction in hypoglycemia) with newer technology and insulin formulations. Physicians should effectively identify the adverse effects of diabetes therapies and identify additional practice gaps that should be addressed in the future.

Dr. Mark Herman, Chief, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, testified at the U. S. Congress Joint Economic Committee.

Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, professor of medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, has been named president-elect, medicine and science, of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), effective January 2023. His term will start in January 2024. Dr. Bajaj will be the first Baylor physician to serve as president of medicine and science for the ADA. He has previously served on the finance committee, research grant review committee and the scientific sessions meeting planning committee and currently serves on the National Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association. 

Dr. Rajagopal Sekhar, associate professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, was featured in WJXT CW 4 on April 7 for an article titled, "Avoid these exercise mistakes that could shorten your life."

Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, was featured in AARP on April 4 for an article titled, "10 Sneaky Signs of Diabetes."

Dr. Rajagopal Sekhar, associate professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, was featured in WFMZ 69 on Jan. 27 for an article titled, "Health Beat: Glynac, a pill to cure the effects of aging?" He was also featured in a Jan. 25 WNDU NBC 16 broadcast and the corresponding article titled, "Medical Moment: A pill to cure aging?"

Dr. Zheng Sun, associate professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, was featured in: Netive.in for a Jan. 19 article titled, "Heart failure: Disruption of the inner clock can increase risk." and BCM News for a Jan. 18 article titled, "The circadian clock in heart failure."

Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, professor, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism was named to the American Diabetes Association National Board of Directors starting Jan. 1, 2022. The board of directors is the ultimate governing authority of the American Diabetes Association. The 17-member ADA Board of Directors is comprised of medical, scientific, education and executive business professionals. Dr. Bajaj had previously served on the ADA Research Grant Review Committee and the Scientific Sessions Meeting Planning Committee. 

Dr. Madhuri M. Vasudevan, assistant professor, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, was appointed as vice chair of the Diabetes State Network for the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Dr. Sean Hartig, assistant professor, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, was featured in Houston Public Media on Dec. 14, 2021 for an article titled, "The impact of diabetes."

Dr. Massimo Pietropaolo was an invited speaker Sept. 3, 2021 at the 2021 Kenny/Drash Memorial Lecture Series at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Dr. Sara Bedrose, assistant professor, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, was mentioned in an April 22 blog in The Stitch titled “How does COVID-19 impact the adrenal gland?”

Dr. Sara Bedrose, assistant professor, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, was interviewed for a March 16 SurvivorNet article titled “What’s the link between vitamin D and cancer? Can it prevent or stop cancer?”