Diabetes

The Medical School's tremendous depth and breadth of diabetes clinical research has changed the way we understand, prevent, and treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes. 

The University of Minnesota Medical School has a long history of successful research in diabetes. Our impact on diabetes research dates back at least to the beginning of the last century when Dr. Moses Barron made an observation about pancreatic islets that ultimately inspired the approach selected by the Canadian investigators who discovered insulin. 

Our teams of researchers address multiple facets of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Current research strengths include:

  • Work identifying how diabetes affects brain structure, metabolism, and function
  • Projects that explain how obesity-related inflammation causes diabetes
  • Efforts to improve islet transplantation as a therapy. 

Researchers have participated in nearly all the leading clinical trials about how diabetes is treated and internationally recognized as leaders in diabetes.

Expand all

DIABETES RESEARCH ACROSS THE U

Focusing on patient care, teaching students and residents, providing educational seminars and continuing professional development (CPD) programs, training endocrinology fellows, and continuing established research programs while developing new ones.


Researchers are driven to reverse type 1 diabetes through pioneering islet transplantation treatments and ongoing research efforts. Their goal is to enable people to live diabetes-free lives.


The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of Minnesota is very active in type 1 diabetes clinical research. Studies focus on all stages of type 1 diabetes from pre-diagnosis to newly diagnosed individuals to those who have been diagnosed for many years.