About the Scientists

One of the leading diabetes researchers in the world, Dr. Vinik is key in the Strelitz Diabetes Center’ quest to cure diabetes. His focus of attention is:

1. the prevention and reversal of diabetic neuropathy and
2. the development of islet cell regeneration research as a cure for diabetes.

Dr. Vinik spearheaded the discovery of "ilotropin," a chemical substance that can reawaken a cell’s potential to produce insulin and the gene, INGAP, the protein responsible for this reawakening.

Dr. Vinik came to the Strelitz Diabetes Center from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he was professor in Internal Medicine and Surgery. At the University of Michigan he established an international reputation for his research in the areas of hormone secreting tumors and the complications of diabetes, particularly diabetic neuropathy.

Dr. Vinik has been invited to present his work all over the world. Recognized as a pioneer and scholar, Dr. Vinik has authored five books, 75 book chapters, and has published more than 300 papers in peer-reviewed, highly reputable journals. He has also published more than 260 abstracts, and he and the fellows he has trained have presented scientific papers and innumerable national and international meetings.

Dr. Vinik is a member of a number of professional societies including the American Endocrine, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, and the European and International Diabetes associations. Dr. Vinik was a member of the National Institute of Health General Clinical Research Center Study Section and the NIH Data Management Committee. He was also Chairman of the American Diabetes Association task force on Nutrition, which established the previous 1985 guidelines for nutritional management of diabetes, and Chairman of the subcommittee for development of guidelines for neuropathy testing; in addition, he was also a member of the committee to develop guidelines for managing lipid disorders in diabetes.

Dr. Vinik has received research funding for his studies from the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Kroc Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, and pharmaceutical industries.

Physician Referral Information

Dr. Pittenger spent 20 years at the University of Michigan as student, researcher and instructor. For many years he studied the regulation of the gastrointestinal endocrine system and the role of the low molecular weight heat-shock protein in male reproductive endocrine regulation. At the Strelitz Diabetes Center, Dr. Pittenger’s major research efforts are focused on finding proteins that cause the formation of new insulin-producing cells and studies on how diabetes causes nerve damage.

David Taylor-Fishwick, PhD
Director of the Cell and Molecular Biology Lab
Diabetes Research Institute
Asst. Professor Internal Medicine

Dr. Taylor-Fishwick has been a member of basic science research teams in England, Switzerland, and the USA. A common goal of his research has been the development of new strategies for disease cure through an understanding of how growth-factors regulate cell function. Before joining SDI, David spent four years in pharmaceutical research at AstraZeneca in England, latterly as a Principal Molecular Immunologist. Here he helped identify novel regulatory pathways and investigated the role of small molecular weight entities on cell regulation in the immune system.

At the SDI a major research focus of Dr. Taylor-Fishwick is to identify the genes, proteins and receptors required to regenerate insulin-producing cells and reverse diabetic neuropathy. INGAP is an islet regenesis-factor identified at the SDI. The Cell and Molecular Biology lab is studying the regulation of INGAP and its receptor. By combining these molecular findings with strategies to prevent the immune destruction of newly generated islets it is anticipated that INGAP or INGAP-like factors will facilitate a cure for diabetes.

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