Commendations & Commencements
Congratulations
Dr. Corinne Silva was named as the new deputy director of the NIDDK Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (DEM). As deputy director, Silva will provide guidance and be responsible for facilitating research activities by working closely with DEM’s scientific working groups and program officers. Since joining NIDDK in 2009, Dr. Silva has managed portfolios on the role of signaling and nutrient sensing in metabolic disease, basic studies addressing the role of the intrauterine environment in offspring metabolic disease, and the integration of circadian rhythms with metabolic disease.
Dr. Rebecca J. Brown, section chief of Translational Diabetes and Metabolic Syndromes in the Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, was granted tenure. Dr. Brown studies human energy metabolism via rare diseases, such as lipodystrophy, and clinical therapeutics to address metabolic disturbances. By understanding the biology of rare conditions, she gains insight into pathophysiology and treatments for common metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Daniel Chauss, staff scientist in the Immunoregulation Section of NIDDK’s Kidney Diseases Branch, was honored with a 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine. He was recognized for his pioneering work in immunoregulation that has pushed the boundaries of medical science.
In Memoriam
Dr. David Wasserman, longtime NIDDK grantee and the Annie Mary Lyle Professor and professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, died June 20. Dr. Wasserman led groundbreaking research studies on the role of physical exercise, insulin stimulation, and diet in metabolism. His work had important implications for the treatment of diabetes and heart disease. In 2001, Dr. Wasserman founded the Vanderbilt Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, an NIDDK-supported international resource for the study of the pathological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics of metabolism in genetic mouse models. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he received several prestigious awards throughout his career, including an NIH Merit Award, which provides extended grant support to investigators with outstanding records of scientific achievement.