Current Clinical Trials
Clinical trials at Joslin Diabetes Center allow patients to take part in the research discovery process.
Improving care while moving closer to a cure
At Joslin Diabetes Center, we are proud to be the global leader in diabetes research. Since 1898, we’ve been at the forefront of discovery, and committed to preventing and curing diabetes worldwide. The groundbreaking studies and innovations that start here offer new knowledge and new hope. They will become tomorrow’s life-changing treatments, and one day, the cure we’ve all been striving toward.
Listen to top national and international speakers through our enrichment program. This training program includes three lectures per week during the academic year, as well as several additional lectures. The program encourages the exchange of ideas and research among investigators and fellows, as well as Joslin staff.
Our research retreat gathers Joslin’s best and brightest minds to present research discoveries. This is a unique time for our team to exchange new ideas, share recent findings, and encourage discussion. Many researchers use the retreat as a time to collaborate on research and share their remarkable skills.
The Joslin Summer Research Student Internship Program offers 10 to 12 weeks of practical exposure to diabetes-related biomedical research, ranging from clinically focused to basic science investigation. Students enjoy direct laboratory experience and interactions with Joslin investigators, and participate in didactic sessions related to diabetes pathophysiology and treatment.
In addition to weekly lectures, Joslin also sponsors three visiting lectureships each year. For each, a distinguished researcher may spend up to three days at Joslin giving one or more lectures and meeting with fellows and staff. Each spring, a formal evening dinner provides fellows an opportunity to join colleagues for a lecture by a distinguished scientist.
The Joslin Research Fellows Program is a prestigious opportunity for early-career scientists and healthcare professionals to advance their research skills in diabetes and related metabolic disorders.
The Joslin Post-Baccalaureate Program is designed for recent graduates who are interested in gaining research experience, particularly in the fields of diabetes and metabolic disorders.
Joslin Diabetes Center is home to world-renowned scientists and researchers who are pushing to understand what causes diabetes — and to develop a cure for it.
Through clinical research in epidemiology, physiology, pathophysiology, health services, education, outcomes, and mental health, as well as an array of clinical trials, we are making great improvements in diabetes care.
Clinical trials at Joslin Diabetes Center allow patients to take part in the research discovery process.
There are very few centers in the world that are 100 percent devoted to diabetes research and care — and Joslin is one of them. As a result, our researchers are bringing us closer to a cure. Each year, we make great headway in understanding the underlying cause of diabetes, as well as how to help prevent its complications.
The research arm of our institution is large. About 250 researchers in 30 different labs are uncovering new information about type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In 2018, our researchers were awarded $24 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Today our team uses these funds to lead 288 IRB-approved studies that will set the standards for diabetes care around the world.
Researchers at Joslin won’t stop until they fully understand type 1 and type 2 diabetes — and how to prevent or cure the disease. Our research is answering the following questions:
Much of our research begins in animal models, such as worms, zebra fish, and mice, but often we conduct clinical trials to understand how much of our lab research can apply to humans as well. On average, there are at least five collaborations between principal investigators at Joslin. We find this cooperative, teamwork approach results in the greatest research advances.
Many of our patients also appreciate exclusive access to our clinical trials as study participants. Our trials allow them to benefit from the newest, most leading-edge diabetes treatments and approaches.
We're making major discoveries in several key diabetes research areas. Scientists at Joslin, including 14 full professors at Harvard Medical School, are leading IRB-approved studies in these key areas:
Part of our research is conducted in the lab, beginning in animals models, such as worms, zebra fish, and mice. We then take that research and apply it to humans where we can. In fact, more than half of our bench research labs collaborate with a physician in the clinic.
In addition to lab research, Joslin’s team conducts clinical trials to evaluate new treatments and medications. Our clinical trials help us understand:
Our team’s deep commitment to research results in the publication of hundreds of scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals each year. Researchers and clinicians all over the globe rely on Joslin to be at the forefront of diabetes care — and we’re proud to serve the medical and scientific community in this way.
Our researchers are constantly pushing science beyond what is possible today in a relentless pursuit of a cure that will transform the lives of millions. Help us help the ones you love.
Learn about medical education at Joslin Diabetes Center, which educates providers and professionals through its expansive professional education programs.