OVERVIEW
Diabetes and the metabolic syndrome have reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Diabetes
currently affects 24 million people in the USA, and its incidence is expected to triple
by 2034. Currently, 1 out of 10 American adults have diabetes.
Ohio has achieved the dubious distinction of having a death rate from diabetes and
its complications twice as high as the national average, and four times for African
Americans, Hispanic and Native American women. Ohio is also among the leading states
with high incidence of obesity and diabetes in children. One million Ohioans have
diabetes, and 33,000 of them live in Toledo.
The latest research available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(2011) shows a 10.1 percent incidence of diabetes among adults in Lucas County, which
translates into more than $35 million in Medicaid expenditures. The cost of diabetes
to employers is even higher when lost productivity is counted. Therefore, diabetes
has a major impact on the local economy.
To spearhead efforts to curb the spread of obesity and diabetes in the State of Ohio
and in keeping with the institutional Commitment to Excellence strategy, Dr. Jeffrey Gold, former Dean of the College of Medicine, established the Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research (CeDER) in January 2006, to serve as a nexus for research focusing on the metabolic
syndrome. Dr. Sonia M. Najjar is its Founding Director. At the conclusion of the construction
of a state of the art laboratory space, the center was officially dedicated on May
14, 2007.
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CeDER draws membership from several colleges and departments at the University of Toledo and its University Medical Center. "This membership scenario is in line with the mission of CeDER to serve as a nexus for research and interdisciplinary interactions between clinical and basic scientists with complementary expertise focusing on diabetes and obesity-related areas of research" said Dr. Najjar |
CeDER promotes strong interdisciplinary collaborations among its investigators who provide complementary expertise in the area of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, as well as in islet cell and bone biology. CeDER fosters several enrichment programs and works closely with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (JDF) and the local government to promote public awareness of type 1 diabetes and the epidemic spread of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome.
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