Diabetes Insights - Breakthroughs and Innovators

In this episode, Prof. Steven Kahn, Editor-in-Chief of Diabetes Care, and Deputy Editor Dr John Buse discuss their powerful editorial examining how political decisions, healthcare reform, and attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could impact diabetes care and biomedical research in the United States and globally.

The conversation explores concerns around cuts to NIH and CDC funding, changes to public health policy, and the implications for chronic disease research, healthcare access, and health equity. They also discuss why diversity matters in diabetes research, the importance of peer-reviewed science, and why senior leaders in medicine must continue speaking out in support of patients, researchers, and future innovation.

Read the editorial discussed in this episode: https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/49/1/5/163166/The-Forces-Reshaping-America-s-Health-Landscape

In this episode, leading experts from international endocrine and diabetes organisations discuss newly launched guidelines on diabetes and pregnancy.

The conversation explores the importance of preconception care, nutrition during pregnancy, the use of metformin and GLP-1 therapies, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and the often-overlooked postpartum period.

With growing numbers of women living with diabetes during pregnancy, these guidelines aim to standardise care and address critical gaps in evidence and clinical practice. Join us as we examine the challenges, controversies, and future directions in diabetes and pregnancy care.

In this episode, Bastian Hauck and Renza Scibilia from the Dedoc° explore how lived experience is reshaping the future of diabetes care.

Once excluded from scientific discussions, people living with diabetes are now playing a central role in research, clinical guidelines, and innovation. From contributing to EASD guideline development to sharing global perspectives in leading journals, patient voices are driving more relevant, inclusive, and impactful care.

Join us as we discuss the evolution of patient involvement, the power of peer support, and why lived experience is now recognised as essential expertise in diabetes research and practice.

In this episode, experts in diabetes and virology, Profs. Knut Dahl-Jørgensen (University of Oslo), Heikki A. Hyöty (Tampere University), and Decio L. Eizirik (Université Libre de Bruxelles), explore the long-debated link between viral infections and type 1 diabetes. With new technologies enabling the detection of viruses at unprecedented sensitivity, the evidence connecting enteroviruses - particularly Coxsackie B viruses - to beta cell damage is becoming stronger.

The discussion covers groundbreaking studies detecting viruses in pancreatic tissue, trials using antiviral therapies to preserve insulin production, and the development of vaccines aimed at preventing disease onset. The panel also explores why certain cells are more vulnerable than others, how persistent infections may drive autoimmunity, and what lessons can be learned from unexpected sources, including bat immunity.

Join us for a deep dive into one of the most complex and promising areas of diabetes research, and what it could mean for future prevention strategies.

In this episode, members of the EASD Global Council, Dr. Fawaz Alzaid and Dr. Banshi Saboo, share their perspectives on the global challenges of diabetes, highlighting how regional differences shape both risk and care. From the Middle East to South Asia, they explore how factors such as climate, diet, and socioeconomic conditions influence diabetes prevalence and outcomes.

The discussion delves into unique population-specific characteristics, including the “thin-fat” phenotype seen in India, the impact of extreme heat on physical activity in the Middle East, and the role of high-carbohydrate diets across Asia. The speakers also reflect on the importance of global collaboration, data sharing, and inclusive research to better understand diabetes across diverse populations.

Join us to learn how international partnerships, emerging technologies and a deeper understanding of regional differences are helping to shape the future of diabetes prevention and care worldwide.