Commendations & Commencements

Dr. Marius Clore, an intramural researcher in the NIDDK Laboratory of Chemical Physics, who received the Royal Society of Chemistry Centenary Award, given to outstanding chemists who are also exceptional communicators. The award is given to scientists working outside of the United Kingdom to give lectures in the British Isles. Clore was also awarded the title of NIH Distinguished Investigator.

NIDDK Advisory Council member Dr. Jerry Palmer, who received the American Diabetes Association’s 2011 Physician Clinician in Diabetes award, given to an individual who has made outstanding efforts in diabetes care and is a highly regarded clinician and educator, at the association’s 71st Scientific Sessions in June.

Dr. Attila Szabo, an intramural researcher in the NIDDK Laboratory of Chemical Physics, who was awarded the title of NIH Distinguished Investigator. In 2010, Szabo was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Editor’s Note: NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers received an honorary degree, doctor of science, from Washington University in St. Louis as part of the university’s 150th commencement on May 20. Rodgers completed an internship, residency, and chief residency in internal medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes Hospital and the St. Louis VA Hospital.

Dr. Domenico Accili will serve on the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism Subcouncil. He is a professor of medicine at Columbia University and director of the NIDDK-funded Columbia University Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center. His laboratory identified a family of DNA-binding proteins that regulate the response to insulin and glucose in many cell types, including pancreatic beta cells.

Robin Nwankwo will serve on the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism Subcouncil She is a diabetes educator at the University of Michigan with expertise in nutrition, behavior and diabetes self-management. Her work focuses on empowering people with diabetes to improve self care by supporting behavior change using methods that respect cultural differences and preferences.

Dr. Judy Cho will serve on the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Subcouncil. She is an associate professor of medicine and genetics and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Yale University. Her research focuses on identifying genetic variation that affects susceptibility to and expression of inflammatory bowel disease.

Dr. Thomas Robinson will serve on the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Subcouncil He is the Irving Schulman Endowed Professor in Child Health and professor of pediatrics and medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also director of Stanford’s Center for Healthy Weight. His research focuses on testing interventions to prevent and reduce obesity, improve nutrition and increase activity.

Dr. William Steers will serve on the Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases Subcouncil. He is chair of the Department of Urology at the University of Virginia. He is an editor of the Journal of Urology and president of the American Board of Urology. He is also a member of the FDA’s Reproductive Medicine Advisory Panel.

Dr. Mark Zeidel will serve on the Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases Subcouncil. He is chief of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and has broad expertise in clinical nephrology research. He is an elected member of both the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.

NIDDK advisory council member Dr. David Altshuler, who served on the Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases Subcouncil. He completed his term at the Sept. 7 Advisory Council meeting.

NIDDK advisory council member Dr. Nancy Andrews, who served on the Kidney, Hematologic, and Urologic Diseases Subcouncil. She completed her term at the Sept. 7 Advisory Council meeting.

NIDDK advisory council member Dr. James Freston, who served on the Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Subcouncil. He completed his term at the Sept. 7 Advisory Council meeting.

Dr. Ira Levin, scientific director for the NIDDK Division of Intramural Research. He spent nearly 48 years at NIH, developing innovative spectroscopic methods and applying them widely. He served as scientific director since 2009. Prior to that, Levin was chief of the Laboratory of Chemical Physics since 1987 and deputy director of the NIDDK Division of Intramural Research from 1994-2009. He has more than 235 publications and 20 awards and honors to his name, including the Pittsburgh Spectroscopy award.

Dr. Donald M. Jerina, 71, formerly an NIDDK senior investigator, died on May 22. He began working at NIH in 1969 and was chief of the Oxidation Mechanisms Section until 2006. Dr. Jerina was appointed to the senior executive service in 1983. He was awarded the Hillebrand Prize from the American Chemical Society in 1979, among other prominent awards. He published more than 500 scientific papers and was an international leader in the field of chemical carcinogenesis.