Decoding Diabetes With Dr. Bob
Hello, “Dr. Bob” Gabbay here! For years now, it has been a delight to read the newsletters from diaTribe and Close Concerns and see their teams in action at conferences. I am thrilled to share that since stepping down from my role as Chief Scientific and Medical Officer (CSMO) at the American Diabetes Association (ADA), I’ve put my writing hat on and am producing a near-monthly column in Close Concerns’ newsletter, Closer Look. And now, I can’t wait to share it with diaTribe readers.
In each column, we will be exploring exciting topics in diabetes, including the latest innovations, as well as the biggest challenges (and potential solutions) in diabetes care. Our goal is to paint a picture of the topic at hand, sprinkled with experiences and insights from my professional career.
You may be wondering, what specific topics will be covered? Alas, there are many: mental health, the GLP-1 revolution, automated insulin delivery, and more. But first, I want you to get to know me a little more, what inspired me to write this column – and what I hope you can get from it.
A bit about me and my work in diabetes care
Before stepping down in 2024, I spent the last four years as ADA’s CSMO putting everything I’ve learned over the years as a clinician-scientist into practice.
That meant spearheading a lot of work to improve the lives of people with diabetes: Consensus reports on kidney disease, programs for diabetic retinopathy screening, projects on metabolic, cardiac, kidney, and liver health – the list goes on.
I’ve been proud of the pivot towards primary care, recognizing the importance for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Among many initiatives, I had an essential role in establishing the Primary Care Council, bringing together for the first time the nation’s major primary care organizations to address the needs of healthcare providers and better support diabetes care.
In May 2024, we announced the formation of the Diabetes Primary Care Alliance, a growing network of nearly 4,000 primary care practices focused on improving health outcomes for people with diabetes. We also launched the Institute of Learning, which offers innovative courses to increase education among healthcare providers.
During my time at ADA, we also initiated strategic funding initiatives and changes to support translational research and the next generation of investigators. An example is the relaunch and expansion of the Pathway to Stop Diabetes program, which provides support for top scientists across the country.
Over the years, I was at the helm of some pretty important meetings, including the ADA Scientific Sessions – the world's largest diabetes conference. In addition, my team and I worked tirelessly on revamping the ADA Standards of Care to help bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. We also expanded the National Diabetes Prevention Program through a $12.5 million CDC initiative, representing the ADA’s largest CDC grant to reduce type 2 diabetes risk among adults.
One thing I’ll take away from my time at the ADA is the power of people within to unite and accomplish incredible goals. All of this makes me especially proud of bringing together leading primary care organizations and implementing consensus on what people with diabetes should see in primary care.
My time before the ADA
From 2013 to 2020, I served as the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of the Joslin Diabetes Center, overseeing care for over 25,000 patients. There, I created the Patient-Centered Medical Neighborhood for Diabetes, a model for coordinated specialty care. This builds on my work at Penn State, where I launched one of the nation’s first large-scale Patient-Centered Medical Home programs. It's my privilege to continue to see patients at the Joslin Center today and serve as faculty at Harvard Medical School.
I obtained my PhD in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin in 1985 and then my MD from the State University of New York at Brooklyn in 1990. I completed my residency in internal medicine at Cornell New York Hospital and fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the joint Joslin-Beth Israel Deaconess-Brigham and Women’s Hospital program.
Over the years, I’ve also received significant funding from a host of agencies to support diabetes research, including the National Institute of Health Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. My career has been guided by increasing opportunities to make a difference in the lives of people living with diabetes, from the early days as a biochemist looking at insulin to all the innovations of the present day.
About Decoding Diabetes With Dr. Bob
Now, why am I writing this column?
In life, one gets to have many experiences and learn from amazing people – my mentors, my patients, and my colleagues – leading to a bit of what is called crystallized intelligence. I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to help the thousands of you who rely on diaTribe to guide you and your loved ones to live better lives with diabetes. Having been in the field for over 40 years, I can truly say there has never been a more exciting time in diabetes than right now!
Stay tuned for future installments…next time: Mental health.
The information and insights in this column are adapted from an original Closer Look column, published by Close Concerns. Written by Dr. Bob and Elaine Young, this column was originally designed for clinicians, researchers, and professionals working in diabetes and obesity care and has been adapted for diaTribe audiences.