Areas of Research

Penn State Hershey Diabetes Institute Programmatic Areas

The Penn State Hershey Diabetes Institute organizes research into programmatic areas.  Click on the links to learn more about the Penn State Hershey Diabetes Institute faculty associated with each area.

 

  • Acute and Chronic Complications
    • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
    • Summary: This programmatic area focuses on integrated, collaborative and translational approaches to study the effects of systemic metabolic disturbances, including hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin deficiency, on the structure and function of tissues and organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes, skin, nerves, bone and brain.

 

  • Integrative Physiology of Diabetes and Obesity 
    • Programmatic Area Leader: Christopher Lynch, PhD
    • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
    • Summary: This programmatic area focuses on applications of biochemical, physiological, nutritional, pharmacological, psychological, molecular, cellular, proteomics, genomics and genetic engineering techniques to investigate mechanisms that lead to obesity, pre-diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.

 

  • Lifestyle Modifications and Behavioral Medicine
    • Programmatic area leader: Danielle Downs, PhD
    • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
    • Summary: This programmatic area focuses on development of theoretically-driven and cost-effective lifestyle interventions to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and obesity. These researchers have expertise in behavioral medicine, kinesiology, nutrition, health evaluation sciences, social science, information technology, biobehavioral health, human development, psychology, and leisure studies.

 

  • Reinventing Diabetes and Obesity Care
    • Programmatic Area Leader: Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD
    • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
    • Summary: This programmatic area focuses on redesigning the health care delivery system to optimize outcomes for people with diabetes and obesity. Research approaches include behavior change techniques, telemedicine, health information technologies, and population disease management approaches.

 

  • Other Aspects of Diabetes and Obesity Care
    • Associated Faculty Researchers: Click here
    • Summary: This programmatic area supports new and developing areas of emphasis for diabetes and obesity research at Penn State.