Dr. Bernard Zinman is a world-renowned research scientist and endocrinologist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto. He is also a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. For over 40 years, Dr. Zinman has been studying diabetes and its complications, making significant contributions to new treatment and prevention methods for people living with the condition.
Dr. Zinman completed his medical degree at McGill University, where he remained for his postgraduate training in internal medicine. He then received further training in endocrinology at the University of Toronto. His background and interest in biochemistry made him naturally gravitate towards studying endocrinology, the study of glands in the human body and their secreted hormones like insulin and steroids. This launched his illustrious career in diabetes care and research.
Dr. Zinman’s team at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute investigates multiple aspects of diabetes care and prevention. His research interests include the long-term complications of diabetes, new treatments for diabetes, and diabetes in high-risk populations, specifically in Indigenous communities. Additionally, he is actively studying interventions to prevent complications in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, while also working as a practicing clinician to treat patients.
Amongst his many research accomplishments, one of Dr. Zinman’s biggest contributions to the field of diabetes research is his key role in the U.S.-Canada Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT). The DCCT was the largest and most inclusive study ever conducted for Type 1 diabetes complications. Patients diagnosed with Yype 1 diabetes were monitored annually for the progression of diabetes-related complications, as they regulated their blood sugar levels through insulin therapy. This trial demonstrated that keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible slowed the onset and progression of eye, kidney, and nerve complications caused by diabetes. More recently, Dr. Zinman led a study demonstrating the effectiveness of a new drug treatment for Type 2 diabetes that improved blood sugar control, lowered blood pressure, and reduced cardiovascular death. This new class of drugs (named SGLT2 inhibitors) work to reduce sugar levels by increasing the amount of sugar passed in the urine. This is now the treatment of choice for diabetes patients with cardiovascular or kidney complications.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Zinman has received numerous awards, as both a researcher and as a practicing clinician. In particular, he has been awarded the Charles H. Best Medal for Distinguished Service in the Cause of Diabetes, the American Diabetes Association’s Outstanding Physician Clinician Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Dr. Zinman continues to make exceptional contributions to diabetes research as a Senior Research Scientist. He and his collaborators are currently examining the prevalence of diabetes and associated risk factors in Sandy Lake, an isolated native community located in northwestern Ontario.
— Written by Patricia Maung