Matthew Ringel, MD 
Director, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 

The relationship between the DMRC, which is the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center and the DMCE, which is the Diabetes Multidisciplinary Center of Excellence, is that they're really fully integrated. One is the more clinically oriented arm which is the DMCE directed toward multidisciplinary clinical care for the complex needs of patients with diabetes throughout their lives and also has many physicians, nurse practitioners, as well as diabetes educators, not just engaged in clinical practice, but also, clinical outreach, relationships with the community as well as clinical research and clinical trials. And that's where there's a lot of integration with the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, which starts sort of with the clinical care and clinical trials, but then it reaches all the way back to basic science as well, so there's fully sort of bench to bedside and bedside to bench if you will, both directions of research as well as the fundamental care. The DMRC is really, has really taken off. I would say over the last five to ten years. We've really tried to make a major effort for Ohio State to be doing research all the way to understanding the fundamental causes of insulin resistance and beta cell failure and diabetes for type 1 and type 2 all the way through clinical practice and having a program that addresses not only the care of patients now and embraces the best technologies and utilization and education programs and that direction, but is also directed toward making things better for the children of our patients, and for our you know family members and the next generations is really, I think essential to what we view as our mission. We've been really, really lucky to have the fabulous group of diabetes educators, both on the outpatient side but also on the inpatient side where we have you know patients who are newly diagnosed with diabetes. 
 

Janet Zappe, RN, MS 
Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist 

So, a diabetes care and education specialist is a healthcare professional typically, a nurse, dietician or a pharmacist, could be other disciplines. But they specialize in caring for people with diabetes. We not only educate on current technologies and monitoring blood sugar. But we also motivate, and we encourage, and we help people set goals for themselves that are relatable to them and it's their goal and we help them set a plan to achieve that goal to be healthy. Our counterpart or collaboration with the DMRC in that you know they get the research and the funding, but we come back, and we help make it real for people. And so, while they're busy doing the research, we're putting that research into practice every day. There's never a good time to have diabetes. Let's face it, I don't think many people would sign up to have diabetes. Yet when you work with somebody, they can help you put a plan together, make each baby step to get going, and I love that relationship. I love the long term and when we work well together, the person with diabetes, and as we're talking about relationships that last ten, fifteen, and thirty years. 

[Text on screen
For more information, visit medicine.osu.edu