Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet at Vanderbilt

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet is a network of major research centers whose goal is to find the causes, prevention, and early treatment of type 1 diabetes.  Vanderbilt was selected as a Major Affiliate of the TrialNet research network in May 2006.  In October 2009, Vanderbilt received designation as a TrialNet Clinical Center.  By working together with other research centers around the world, there is hope for finding answers much more quickly.  TrialNet is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the American Diabetes Association. 

William E. Russell, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, is the Principal Investigator for TrialNet at Vanderbilt.  He guides the efforts of the research team in furthering the goals of TrialNet. 

Vanderbilt University is home to the oldest NIH funded Diabetes Research and Training Center (DRTC) in the US.  The DRTC coordinates the efforts of more than 90 Vanderbilt faculty members who conduct diabetes research.  Vanderbilt played a key role in the landmark DCCT study (Diabetes Complications and Control Trial) that established the critical importance of blood glucose control in preventing long-term complications.  Vanderbilt actively participated in the DPT-1 study (Diabetes Prevention Trial), the predecessor of Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet.

The Vanderbilt Eskind Diabetes Clinic (VEDC) provides a unique environment combining exceptional adult and pediatric clinical care with cutting edge diabetes research.  Over 40,000 children and adult outpatient visits are made each year.  The Children’s Diabetes Program of the Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital, located within the VEDC, cares for over 2,000 children with diabetes and is one of the largest in North America.  Vanderbilt diabetes researchers are honored to work with families and renowned scientists across the globe to help identify the causes and means for preventing and treating Type 1 Diabetes.