National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, conducts and supports research on many of the most serious diseases affecting public health

Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...

. The Institute supports much of the clinical research

Clinical research

Clinical research is a branch of medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use...

on the diseases of internal medicine

Internal medicine

Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...

and related subspecialty fields as well as many basic science disciplines.

The Institute's Division of Intramural Research encompasses the broad spectrum of metabolic diseases—including diabetes, obesity

Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...

, inborn errors of metabolism

Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...

, endocrine disorders

Endocrine system

In physiology, the endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the bloodstream to regulate the body. The endocrine system is in contrast to the exocrine system, which secretes its chemicals using ducts. It derives from the Greek words "endo"...

, disorders of mineral metabolism—as well as digestive and liver

Liver

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...

diseases, nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....

, urology

Urology

Urology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...

and renal disease, and hematology

Hematology

Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...

. Basic research studies include biochemistry

Biochemistry

Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...

, biophysics

Biophysics

Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...

, nutrition, pathology

Pathology

Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....

, histochemistry, bioorganic chemistry

Chemistry

Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....

, physical chemistry, chemical and molecular biology

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

, and pharmacology

Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...

.

NIDDK extramural research is organized into four divisions: Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases; Digestive Diseases and Nutrition; Kidney

Kidney

The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...

, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases; and Extramural Activities.

The Institute supports basic and clinical research through investigator-initiated grants, program project and center grants, and career development and training awards. The NIDDK also supports research and development projects and large-scale clinical trials through contracts.

NIDDK Office of the Director

Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., M.B.A, M.A.C.P. is currently the director of the NIDDK. Dr. Rodgers also serves as deputy director of NIDDK (since 2001) and as chief of NIDDK's Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch (since 1998).

Dr. Rodgers received his undergraduate, graduate and medical degrees from Brown University

Brown University

Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

in Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

. He also has a master's degree in business administration, with a focus on the business of medicine from Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University

The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...

. He did his residency and chief residency in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital

Barnes Hospital

Barnes Hospital, also known as Barnes Convalescent Home, in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England, is a former hospital. It is located near to the A34 road and is in the middle of the complex interchange between the A34, M60 motorway and M56 motorway. Whilst the hospital was constructed in a rural...

, and the St. Louis VA Hospital, respectively, Washington University School of Medicine

Washington University School of Medicine

Washington University School of Medicine , located in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the graduate schools of Washington University in St. Louis. One of the top medical schools in the United States, it is currently ranked 4th for research according to U.S. News and World Report and has been listed...

in St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

. His fellowship training in hematology/oncology

Oncology

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...

was in a joint program of the NIH with George Washington University

George Washington University

The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...

and the Washington Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Dr. Rodgers is widely recognized for his contributions to the development of the first effective — and now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — therapy for sickle cell anemia. He has served as the principal investigator in clinical trials to elevate pharmacologically fetal hemoglobin

Fetal hemoglobin

Fetal hemoglobin, or foetal haemoglobin, is the main oxygen transport protein in the fetus during the last seven months of development in the uterus and in the newborn until roughly 6 months old...

to counteract the deleterious molecular and cellular effects present in the red cells of these patients. Dr. Rodgers' basic research has focused on understanding the molecular basis of how these drugs induce gamma-globin gene expression

Gene expression

Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...

and on lineage-specific differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells. He was honored for his research with the 1998 Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award and the 2000 Arthur S. Fleming Award, among others. He has published over 150 original research articles, reviews, and book chapters and has edited two books.

Dr. Rodgers served as governor to the American College of Physicians

American College of Physicians

The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...

for the Department of Health and Human Services and is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians

Association of American Physicians

The Association of American Physicians is a medical society founded in 1885 by the Canadian physician Sir William Osler and six other distinguished physicians of his era, for "the advancement of scientific and practical medicine." Election to the AAP is an honor extended to individuals with...

. He is the chair of the Hematology Subspecialty Board and is a member of the ABIM Board of Directors.

Organizational Structure

Under the Office of the Director are the following branches and offices: Office of Communications and Public Liaison, Office of Scientific Program and Policy Analysis, Office of Minority Health Research Coordination, Office of Obesity Research and the National Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Advisory Council, as well as the Executive Office.

The Executive Office contains the following branches and offices: Extramural Administrative Management Branch, Intramural Administrative Management Branch, Computer Technology Branch, Ethics Office, Office of Financial Management and Analysis, Office of Management and Policy Analysis, Office of Workforce Development and Planning, and the Office of Technology Transfer and Development.

NIDDK Office of Technology Transfer and Development (OTTD)

The NIDDK Office of Technology Transfer and Development

NIDDK Office of Technology Transfer and Development

The Office of Technology Transfer and Development is an office within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases , of the National Institutes of Health , which is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services...

(OTTD) facilitates research collaborations and the exchange of research materials between NIDDK and the global scientific community by developing partnerships for the Institute with universities, non-profit research institutions, government agencies, corporations and other organizations. NIDDK OTTD is committed to transferring its technologies and research resources to external organizations for further research, development and/or commercialization to create biomedical products and services that benefit public health. OTTD's staff members have been drawn from industry as well as other external organizations to provide a remarkable variety of skills to assist potential research partners.

Division of Intramural Research (DIR)

The Division of Intramural Research conducts research and training within the Institute's laboratories and clinical facilities in Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...

, and at the Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch in Arizona.

The Division has 12 Branches and 10 Laboratories that cover a wide range of research areas. In addition, there is a section on veterinary sciences, a section on biological chemistry, the Office of Fellow Recruitment and Career Development, and an Administrative Management Branch. Six core laboratories provide scientific support services to investigators.

The Intramural Branches engage in both basic and clinical research on diabetes, bone metabolism, endocrinology, obesity, hematology, digestive diseases, kidney diseases, kidney transplantation and genetics

Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....

. Additionally, the Phoenix Branch develops and applies epidemiologic and genetic methods to the study of diabetes and obesity. The tenth branch addresses mathematical modeling of biological problems.

The Laboratories are engaged in fundamental research related to the institute's mission in the fields of molecular biology, structural biology, chemistry, cell biology, pharmacology, chemical physics, biochemistry, neuroscience

Neuroscience

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...

, and developmental biology, and mathematical modeling of biological problems.

The Laboratory Animal Science section provides research animal support and collaboration for institute research programs. The six core laboratories provide services to interested NIDDK scientists in the areas of proteomics

Proteomics

Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...

and mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles.It is used for determining masses of particles, for determining the elemental composition of a sample or molecule, and for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and...

, microarray

Microarray

A microarray is a multiplex lab-on-a-chip. It is a 2D array on a solid substrate that assays large amounts of biological material using high-throughput screening methods.Types of microarrays include:...

, chemical biology, mouse metabolism/transgenic support, biotechnological support, and knockout mice.

Division of Extramural Activities (DEA)

The Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) is responsible for coordinating the receipt, referral and scientific review of extramural research applications and proposals before funding, and for the processing of awards for grants, cooperative agreements and contracts. It logs in, assigns and internally distributes all extramural applications and proposals received by the NIDDK, and conducts scientific and technical peer review for grant applications and contract proposals requiring special programmatic consideration. The DEA also manages an acquisitions and general contracting service center that services NIDDK and several other NIH Institutes/Centers as well. The DEA also coordinates the Institute’s Committee Management Activities and the meetings of the National Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Advisory Council. Finally, the DEA performs and coordinates programmatic analysis and evaluation activities.

Organizationally the Division has three primary functional components:
The Grants Management Branch is the focal point for all business-related activities associated with the negotiation, award, and administration of grants and cooperative agreements within the NIDDK.

The Scientific Review Branch coordinates the initial scientific peer review of applications submitted in response to Request for Applications (RFAs), training and career awards, program projects, multi-center clinical trials and research contracts, including Loan Repayment Program applications. Most R01s, R21s, Fellowship and SBIR grant applications are reviewed in the Center for Scientific Review.

The Office of Acquisitions plans, organizes, directs, awards, and administers a comprehensive acquisition program for three Institutes and one Center: NIDDK, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , created by Congress in 1962, supports and conducts research on topics related to the health of children, adults, families, and populations...

(NICHD); the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism , as part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems...

(NIAAA); and the John E. Fogarty International Center (FIC).

Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases (DDEM)

The DEMD supports research and research training related to diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...

, endocrinology, and metabolic diseases including cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...

. In addition, DEMD leads the administration of the Trans-NIH Diabetes Program and coordinates federally supported diabetes-related activities.

Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (DDDN)

This division supports research related to liver and biliary diseases, pancreatic

Pancreas

The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as a digestive organ, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that assist...

diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, including neuroendocrinology

Neuroendocrinology

Neuroendocrinology is the study of the extensive interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system, including the biological features of the cells that participate, and how they functionally communicate...

, motility

Motility

Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and actively, consuming energy in the process. Most animals are motile but the term applies to single-celled and simple multicellular organisms, as well as to some mechanisms of fluid flow in multicellular organs, in...

, immunology

Immunology

Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...

, and digestion in the GI tract, nutrient metabolism, obesity, eating disorders, and energy regulation. The division provides leadership in coordinating activities related to digestive diseases and nutrition throughout the NIH and with various other Federal agencies.

Division of Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases (DKUH)

The division supports research on diseases of the kidney, genitourinary tract, and blood

Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....

and blood-forming organs, and on the fundamental biology relevant to these organ systems. It funds training and professional development of investigators in disciplines critical for research in these areas.

Clearinghouses

The NDDIC also operates three information clearinghouses: the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), and the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). The three clearinghouses serve as information resources for patients, the public, and health professionals concerned with diabetes, digestive diseases, and kidney and urologic diseases. Each was authorized by the United States Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

to increase knowledge and understanding about these areas through the effective dissemination of information. The NDIC was authorized by Congress in 1976, the NDDIC in 1980, and the NKUDIC in 1987.

The clearinghouses answer inquiries; develop, print and distribute publications; and work closely with professional and patient-advocacy organizations and U.S. Government agencies to coordinate informational resources about diabetes, digestive diseases, and kidney and urologic diseases. They provide disease-specific information to patients and their families, as well as to health care professionals, government agencies, and the general public. Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.

The clearinghouses also develop and maintain a free, online bibliographic database of reference materials, audiovisuals, educational materials, and “fugitive” literature in its Reference Collection, as well as an image library of free non-copyrighted images, and linkages to relevant interactive resources.

The clearinghouses provide two campaigns to increase awareness and action for people with underdiagnosed or undertreated conditions: celiac disease and bladder control issues in women.

National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP)

The NDEP, co-sponsored by the NIDDK and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...

(CDC), is focused on improving the treatment and outcomes for people with diabetes, promoting early diagnosis, and ultimately preventing the onset of diabetes. The goal of the program is to reduce the morbidity and mortality

Mortality rate

Mortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths in a population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit time...

associated with diabetes through public awareness and education activities targeted to the general public, especially those with at risk for type 2 diabetes, people with diabetes and their families, health care providers, and policy makers and payers. These activities are designed to

increase public awareness that diabetes is a serious, common, costly, and controllable disease that has recognizable symptoms and risk factors; # encourage people with diabetes, their families, and their social support systems to take diabetes seriously and to improve practice of self-management behaviors;
reduce disparities in health in racial and ethnic populations disproportionately affected by diabetes and
alert health care providers to the seriousness of diabetes, effective strategies for its prevention and control, and the importance of a team care approach to helping patients manage the disease. Toward these ends, the NDEP develops partnerships with organizations concerned about diabetes and the health care of its constituents.

National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP)

The NKDEP addresses the growing problem of kidney disease in this country and aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by kidney disease and its complications. The program is dedicated to raising awareness of the seriousness of kidney disease and its risk factors, the importance of testing those at high risk, and the availability of treatment to prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.

Weight-control Information Network

The WIN was established in 1994 to provide health professionals and consumers with science-based information on obesity, weight control, and nutrition. The WIN has also developed the Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better Media program that encourages Black women 18 and over to maintain a healthy weight by becoming more physically active and eating healthier foods.

External links

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