The College of Medicine faculty recognizes a peer’s clinical research

For his pioneering research into type 1 diabetes, the College of Medicine faculty has awarded Desmond Arthur Schatz, M.D., the 2004 Clinical Science Research Award.

Schatz, a professor of pediatric endocrinology, medical director of the UF Diabetes Center of Excellence, has been at the forefront of research into early diagnosis, prediction and prevention, and early treatment of type 1 diabetes and also in establishing methods for genetic screening of newborn babies for risk of developing the disease.

“I am tremendously honored to receive this award and, at the same time, humbled,” said Schatz, who is also the Associate Director of the Clinical Research Center. “Although I am the named recipient, I feel the award recognizes the tremendous achievements of the national and international program in type 1 diabetes at the University of Florida.”

Schatz has had significant and continuous external peer reviewed funding since 1989. He manages a $2 million National Institutes of Health grant to establish and oversee a clinical trial center at UF for diabetes research into preventing and delaying onset of type 1 diabetes. He also oversees another National Institutes of Health grant aimed at screening newborns to assess genetic risk for developing diabetes. He was named a 2002-03 UF Research Foundation Professor for distinguished research performance and a strong research agenda.

The award is given every year by the College of Medicine to a UF scientist whose body of clinical work contributes to greater application of medical science in the treatment of illness.