The John A. Colwell Diabetes Research Center is named in honor Dr. John A. Colwell, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at MUSC; founding Director of the MUSC Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Medical Genetics; founding Chairman of the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina; former President of the American Diabetes Association; and, internationally known leader in the field of diabetes research.
Diabetes mellitus is a public health problem of increasing magnitude. According to the Centers for Disease Control, South Carolina ranks second highest of the 50 states in diagnosed cases of diabetes. The impact of diabetes in terms of human health, health care costs and lost worker productivity poses an enormous threat to the economic vitality of South Carolina and the nation in the decades ahead.
The Purpose of the MUSC John A. Colwell Diabetes Research Center wilkl be to create and expand reserach and educational programs within the Medical University relating to diabetes mellitus in support of the broad objectives of the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina.
The Missionof the John A. Colwell Diabetes Research Center is to reduce the social and economic burden of diabetes by focusing academic efforts on the development and dissemination of new diabetes treatments.
The Goalsof the center are: · To increase the amount of diabetes research conducted in South Carolina by developing and maintaining resources necessary to support multidisciplinary research programs.
· To promote basic, translational and clinical research in diabetes and build collaborative diabetes research programs betweenUniversities within the South Carolina state educational system.
· To promote private sector collaborations focused on developing and testing new technologies to improve diabetes treatment in the inpatient and outpatient settings.
· To create and implement specific educational programs for community health care providers aimed at improving the delivery of diabetes care and the health of South Carolinians.
