Researchers in lab running tests

How We're Advancing Care

The section on Clinical, Behavioral, and Outcomes Research aims to elucidate the underlying genetic and environmental determinants of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and its complications, and develop new treatments to prevent or delay the development of diabetes and its complications in high-risk individuals.

The section has an active clinical research environment to train future investigators. The scope of ongoing investigations ranges from small physiologic projects to NIH-funded multi-center trials. There are over 300 unique, active IRB-approved human protocols at the Joslin, of which about 175 involve active patient participation.

These studies include a wide range of investigations that can be described as observational (55 percent) or interventional (45 percent); single site (60 percent) or multicenter (40 percent); and involve participants who are adult (80 percent), pediatric (7.5 percent), or both (10 percent). Studies are led by more than 47 PIs (many of whom are in other Joslin sections). Investigators in the section collaborate extensively with members of basic research sections at the Joslin and with investigators in the surrounding Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals and at other academic institutions.

Section Members

Elvira Isganaitis
Elvira Isganaitis, MD, MPH
Assistant Investigator and Staff Physician
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Lori Laffel
Lori Laffel, MD, MPH
Senior Investigator
Chief, Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Section
Section Head, Clinical, Behavioral and Outcomes Research
Director, Clinical Translational Research Core
Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Sanjeev Mehta
Sanjeev Mehta, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Information Officer
Senior Vice President
Investigator and Staff Physician
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Florence Brown
Florence Brown, MD
Staff Physician
Co-Director Joslin and BIDMC Diabetes in Pregnancy Program
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
John D'Elia
John D'Elia, MD
Staff Physician
Clinical Investigator
Lecturer, Harvard Medical School
Om Ganda
Om Ganda, MD
Clinical Investigator and Senior Staff Physician
Medical Director of the Lipid Clinic
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Osama Hamdy
Osama Hamdy, MD, PhD
Senior Staff Physician
Director of International Medical Affairs
Medical Director, Obesity Clinic Program and Inpatient Diabetes Program
Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
Medha Munshi
Medha Munshi, MD
Staff Physician
Director, Geriatric Diabetes Program
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Jason Gaglia
Jason Gaglia, MD, MMSc
Assistant Investigator and Staff Physician
Section Head, Clinical, Behavioral and Outcomes Research
Director of Hood Center for the Prevention of Childhood Diabetes
Co-Director, Clinical Translational Research Core
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Sylvia Rosas
Sylvia Rosas, MD, MSCE
Investigator and Staff Physician
Director, Latino Kidney Clinic
Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Mark Williams
Mark Williams, MD
Senior Staff Physician
Director of Dialysis
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Sarah Lessard
Sarah Lessard, MSc, PhD
Assistant Investigator
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Our researchers are in pursuit of a diabetes cure that will transform millions of lives. Help us help the ones you love. Give today.