Progress in diabetes research continues at a rapid pace as investigators around the world answer key questions leading to major breakthroughs in understanding the mechanisms of the disease and in practice-changing advances in the management and care of people living with diabetes. A special symposium at the 85^th Scientific Sessions will feature a panel of experienced diabetes researchers who will review some of the most important developments in basic, translational, and clinical diabetes research over the past year.

The session, ADA Symposium—Major Advances and Discoveries in Diabetes—Year in Review, will be held on Sunday, June 22, from 1:30–3:00 p.m., in Room W183 BC of the McCormick Place Convention Center. On-demand access to recorded presentations will be available to registered participants following the conclusion of the 85^th Scientific Sessions, from June 25–August 25.

Martin G. Myers, Jr., MD, PhD, the Marilyn H. Vincent Professor of Diabetes Research, Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and Director of the Michigan Diabetes Research & Training Center at the University of Michigan Medical School, will open the presentations with a review of important developments in basic research.

“A lot of very interesting results have come out in the past year on mechanisms of actions for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, particularly findings related to the places in the brain that GLP-1 receptors act in order to do all of the wonderful things that they do,” Dr. Myers said. “I think one of the paradigm revolutions that has started, and is ongoing, is understanding not only the power of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, as well as the glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) receptor modulators, but also understanding all of what they do clinically and all of their potential therapeutic uses.”

“I think the major takeaway in research over the past year is that we have learned that the brain has a lot more to do with metabolism than we gave it credit for.”

— Martin G. Myers, Jr., MD, PhD

A significant breakthrough is a growing understanding of the anti-inflammatory effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists and the beneficial health impact they have in increasing protection from cardiovascular disease and other complications of diabetes.

“By understanding the mechanism of action of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, we can begin to identify ways of turning up some of the beneficial things they do, like the anti-inflammatory effects, and potentially turning down some of the side effects, like nausea or the lean body mass loss, that some people have when they take these drugs,” Dr. Myers said. “Broadly speaking, I think the major takeaway in research over the past year is that we have learned that the brain has a lot more to do with metabolism than we gave it credit for, and by increasing our understanding of the mechanisms of these incretin receptor modulators, we can potentially make even better drugs.”

These and other advances in basic research have informed clinical trials and paved the way for important new diabetes treatments, according to Jennifer Green, MD, Professor of Medicine in Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Nutrition at Duke University, and a faculty member of the Duke Clinical Research Institute at the Duke University School of Medicine, who will summarize some of the most important advances in clinical research.

“Over the past decade in clinical diabetes research, we have consistently seen discovery after discovery, and this past year has seen some particularly exciting advances in the ongoing development of important interventions that have been shown to improve the quality of life and the lifespan of people with diabetes,” Dr. Green said.

Building on advances in basic research, she said that the increased understanding of the metabolic and non-metabolic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual agonists, and multi-agonists has provided important insights and led to evidence about the types of individuals who may benefit from incretin-based therapies in unexpected ways.

“The development of new devices reflecting advances in automated insulin delivery and artificial pancreas systems is another busy and active area of clinical diabetes research,” Dr. Green said. “We also continue to see important new developments in our knowledge of ways to improve organ protection in people with diabetes, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and the progression of kidney disease, for example.”

Also during the symposium, Eric Ravussin, PhD, the Boyd Professor and Douglas L. Gordon Chair in Diabetes and Metabolism at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, will discuss some of the latest advances in translational diabetes research.

“We’ve seen a number of important translational advances over the past year, including findings from a large trial suggesting that the injectable weight-loss drug, tirzepatide, reduced the risk of progression to diabetes by more than 90% in people with obesity and prediabetes,” Dr. Ravussin said. “We’ve also seen new evidence showing that GLP-1 receptor agonists may lower dementia risk, as well as growing evidence supporting the antagonism of GIP as effective for weight loss and glycemic control.”