The EAC will have the following responsibilities:
- Meet with the PJI twice a year, monitoring the progress of their projects.
- Interact one-to-one with PJI and provide guidance and recommendations.
- Monitor and critique the CoBRE policy and operation including selecting PJI and milestone of progress.
- Monitor the Core services.
The EAC consists of the following five outstanding diabetes researchers with expertise in the fields of the PJI projects:
John Baynes, Ph.D.,Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Carolina Distinguished Professor, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, is a world authority on the biochemistry of the complications of diabetes. He has received over 30 years of continuous NIH funding, including three consecutive MERIT awards (1986 – 2012). In 2001, Dr. Baynes was awarded a separate NIH grant to establish the South Carolina Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network. Dr. Baynes has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, and has served on editorial boards of numerous journals, including Diabetes and the Journal of Biological Chemistry. He also participated in organizing the EPSCOR program in South Carolina. john-baynes@sc.edu
Thomas Gardner, M.D., Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: Dr. Gardner is a well-recognized, leading scientist in diabetic retinopathy studies. He was trained as a retinal surgeon with extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy. He has also been running an active basic science research program that is funded by NIH, ADA and JDRF. He has organized and directed the JDRF Diabetic Retinopathy Center for the past 10 years and has organized several international conferences of diabetic retinopathy. He has also trained a number of junior PIs in diabetes research. His Center has also established several Core facilities. tomwgard@med.umich.edu
Maria Grant, M.D., FARVO, Marilyn Glick Professor of Ophthalmology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis: Dr. Grant is a leading physician scientist in diabetic retinopathy research. She has a long track record of excellent funding and publication. She also has extensive experience in mentoring junior investigators in diabetes research. She has been servicing in numerous NIH study sections and grant review panels of research foundations. mabgrant@iupui.edu
Former:
Hanna Abboud, M.D., Professor and Chief, Section of Nephrology, Dept. of Medicine, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX: Dr. Abboud is an internationally known researcher in diabetic nephropathy and has excellent funding and publication track record. He is also experienced in organizing PPG and center grants. He has mentored many diabetes researchers in the past. The combination of his clinical skills and basic research experience in diabetic complications is a great resource to this CoBRE. abboud@uthscsa.edu
Ravindranath Duggirala, Ph.D., Associate Scientist, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX: Dr. Duggirala has considerable experience with the identification of the genetic basis of complex type 2 diabetes-related phenotypes including insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, albuminuria, diabetic nephropathy, and obesity. He has a history of successful funding applications, and an extensive publication record. ravid@sfbrgenetics.org
K. Sreekumaran Nair, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN: Dr. Nair is a Consultant and holds an endowed chair in nutrition and metabolism in the Division of Endocrinology, and is Director of the General Clinical Research Center at Mayo Clinic. His expertise is in human metabolism, endocrinology and diabetes with particular areas of interest in protein metabolism, insulin action, and sarcopenia of aging. Dr. Nair has maintained a productive and well-funded laboratory for the past 20 years, mentoring 32 fellows, acquiring support through several NIH and foundation grants, and producing more than 150 peer-reviewed publications in well-respected journals. He has served on many study sessions and review panels for NIH and other agencies. This combination of expertise and experience will be extremely valuable to our CoBRE team. nair.sree@mayo.edu