The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently appointed Dr. William Cefalu to the role of chief scientific and medical officer following Dr. Robert Ratner, who retired at the end of last year after serving for almost five years.
Cefalu has been working on diabetes research and diabetic care for more than three decades and has worked with the ADA for almost two decades. In 2004, he was named associate editor of the journals Diabetes, which focuses on physiology and pathophysiology of diabetes and Diabetes Care, which focuses on diabetes treatment and care. He was named editor in chief of Diabetes Care in 2012.
His extensive experience and role as a visionary leader in diabetes research and care will expand and enhance the association and its in-depth programs and services.," ADA CEO Kevin Hagan said. “Dr. Cefalu will play a key role in advancing the association's global leadership efforts to drive discovery within the world of diabetes research, care and prevention and to support the diabetes community."
Cefalu has been a professor at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge since 2003. Previously, he was associate executive director and chief scientific officer.
"I am excited to join the association in this notable role that can make a difference in the lives of the millions of people with diabetes and prediabetes — here in the U.S. and around the world," Cefalu said. "Diabetes remains one of the world's major chronic disease threats, and the association has an incredible human responsibility to change the trajectory of the disease. As a Louisianian and a physician, I've seen diabetes impact my state first-hand. This new role is a tremendous opportunity for me to continue to significantly influence health, mortality and quality of life for so many, and I look forward to the challenges."
