In an annoucement made The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has designated the Diabetes Center at UCSF as a Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center (DERC).

UCSF is honored to have received this prestigious rating, one of only 11 programs nationally. The new designation acknowledges the high quality of the diabetes research program at UCSF, providing research support over five years to enhance existing research programs and provide additional multidisciplinary research opportunities within the Center.

UCSF Dean of Medicine, Dr. Haile Debas, MD, was particularly pleased with the award, considering diabetes has been a top priority area at UCSF for decades.

"The new designation recognizes the combined efforts of an incredible team of dedicated researchers, medical professionals and support staff."

Dr. Jeffrey Bluestone, Diabetes Center Director agrees that the DERC designation is a recognition that the Diabetes Center is making progress.

"Our goal is nothing short of becoming one of the pre-eminent diabetes research and clinical centers in the world. This confirms that we're definitely moving in the right direction."

DERCs were established by the NIH to speed progress in research by providing shared research resources at top diabetes research centers. The additional funding aims to foster collaborations within and among institutions to help generate more efficient progress over the range of research areas upon which diabetes impacts. DERCs focus on projects directed at prevention and control of diabetes and translation of research advances into clinical practice.

"Diabetes and its complications are spread over such a wide range of medical and scientific disciplines, that collaboration is an absolute necessity for research," explained Bluestone. "We're now in the position where we can better take advantage of the enormous and very broad expertise that exists throughout the UCSF campus."

[Also see: "Diabetes Center Gains Prestigious NIH Designation" from UCSF Today]