Dramatic advances in diabetes treatment and prevention have occurred over the past decade. Landmark clinical trials such as the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) have demonstrated the importance of intensive blood glucose and blood pressure control. More recently, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that lifestyle intervention, addressing weight loss and maintenance and increased exercise, as well as treatment with the drug metformin, delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in people at high risk for developing the disease.

Unfortunately, the therapies proven to delay or prevent either the complications of type 1 or type 2 diabetes or the onset of type 2 diabetes have not been widely incorporated. In addition, information that will require implementation is likely to become available in the near future from ongoing clinical trials that address prevention/treatment of type 1 or type 2 diabetes and/or obesity.

Translational research aims to determine what can improve outcomes in diverse, real-world populations and how to achieve these goals in a practical way that positively affects public health. This conference is organized by the NIDDK in collaboration with the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research and the CDC. It will bring together investigators, health care providers, NIH representatives, and payers to discuss barriers to translation, translational research, translational interventions, community-based approaches, and public health efforts. A primary conference objective is to foster ideas to improve treatment for individuals with or at risk for diabetes through implementation of known and newly emerging prevention and treatment strategies.

The afternoon of the second day of the conference will be devoted to a “Grant Writing Workshop” targeted to investigators interested in submitting translational research proposals. The faculty will include NIH experts on the grant writing process and individuals with successful grant writing and grant review expertise.