JDS2015::The 58th Annual Meeting of the Japan Diabetes Society

Postdoctoral training in foreign countries provides a perfect opportunity for young scientists to carry out cutting-edge research from a global perspective. This symposium will inspire young physicians and researchers to take part in overseas research, developing their careers, and ultimately helping to activate and support diabetes research in Japan. Senior physician scientists who have studied abroad, and are currently playing a leading role in this field are asked to talk about their international study experiences, and how this experience and their work in other countries has impacted their research after returning to Japan, as well as their career development. As a mentor of such young investigators, Professor German, who has accepted many young Japanese researchers and helped them develop their careers, will talk about his experience in fostering them.

Medical treatment of diabetes does not proceed in a straightforward manner, based on science and evidence-based therapy alone. Physicians must interact with each patient individually, face to face, and carry out treatment that takes into consideration his or her background, ways of thinking, and feelings and emotions. Indeed, treatment of diabetes is an area filled with humanity, which is the main theme of this Annual Meeting. In this session, the issue of humanity in diabetes treatment - including what form it should take - will be discussed thoroughly and extensively among health care professionals, and these discussions will become a starting point for further advancement in diabetes care. Professor Matthew will give a talk, both as a physician and clinical scientist, about the importance of evidence established by clinical research such as UKPDS, and the principle and philosophy of patient-centered diabetes treatment.

SGLT2 inhibitors are now being clinically used, with tremendous expectations placed on this form of treatment. In this session, participants will present current efficacy, safety and perspectives on the contribution of these agents in diabetes treatment, as well as post-marketing surveillance data, helping to clarify future prospects and identify the tasks and challenges to be resolved.

In this symposium, participants will focus on dietary treatment of diabetes, and discuss issues from multilateral points of view. Topics include energy intake, the quantity and quality of nutrients, and dietary intake from the perspective of chrono-nutrition, as well as the regulation of metabolic homeostasis via the gut.

Research into monogenic diabetes, such as MODY, neonatal diabetes/hypoglycemia and Wolfram syndrome, has greatly contributed to understanding the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of common forms of diabetes. Participants will review these relationships and, at the same time, discuss recent research progress into diabetes of monogenic etiology, and future prospectives for developing therapeutic strategy and support setup. This will provide an opportunity to discuss expanding translational research from monogenic diabetes through to common diabetes.

Anti-diabetic-properties of incretin-based therapies have been clinically evidenced in recent years and they now play a central role in diabetes therapy. In this session, participants will present the efficacy, safety and impact of incretin-based therapies in diabetes management including their pleiotropic effects, and clarify future prospects. Professor Drucker will present a lecture on recent progress in the research concerning incretin action and its therapeutic relevance.

In this symposium, participants will give us the latest progress in the identification of type-2 diabetes-susceptible genes by GWAS, and discuss how such genetic evidence is developed into translational research to understand the pathogenesis of diabetes. The prospects for diabetes prevention and treatment are also illustrated. This symposium will provide an opportunity to discuss expanding translational research from genetics to biology.

There has been an upsurge of interest in the adipocyte coincident with the onset of the obesity epidemic. It has been recognized that adipose tissue plays a central role in the regulation of energy metabolism. Concomitantly, there has been significant progress in how we view adipose development and differentiation. In this session, participants will focus on the roles played by adipocytes in various homeostatic processes and on how they are altered during metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. In addition they will discuss manipulation of these relationships to restore metabolic health.

Obesity is fundamental in the pathophysiology of type-2 diabetes. In this session, participants will discuss the mechanisms and homeostatic pathways that coordinate energy metabolism, and how they are altered by various factors. Topics include inter-organ communication, circadian system, chronic inflammation, and gut environment, etc. This symposium will provide deeper insights into our understanding of "Why do modern people become obese?"

The importance of ensuring that diabetes treatment avoids serious hypoglycemia has been emphasized in recent years. This symposium will identify the impact of hypoglycemia on the cardiovascular system, and discuss perspectives on cardiovascular risk of asymptomatic hypoglycemia.

This symposium will identify the roles that Sirtuin plays in various homeostatic processes, and examine the prospects of diabetes treatment or antiaging therapy targeting Sirtuin. Through this symposium, participants will gain an understanding into the future potential and possibilities associated with this field of research.

It has been recognized that a reduced functional β-cell mass is central in the pathogenesis of both type1 and type2 diabetes. Participants will identify molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways and key molecules that regulate β-cell function and survival, and discuss how they are altered during diabetes progression. Future prospects will be given relating to therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing pancreatic beta-cell failure.

How to restore the number of pancreatic beta-cells has become an important issue in the prevention of diabetes progression. In this session, participants will discuss the future of diabetes treatment from the perspective of regulatory mechanisms for beta-cell proliferation and differentiation in vivo, and future prospects concerning their application to beta-cell regenerative medicine.

In this session, participants will reexamine roles played by islet endocrine cells in glucose homeostasis and discuss how they are altered during progression of diabetes. Topics will include α-cell function, β-cell function, their interactions and incretin-mediated modification regulating glucose homeostasis.

Large-scale studies aimed at diabetes intervention have been discussed in previous meetings. However, this meeting will focus on prevention and screening of diabetes and as part of this meeting, the Japan Diabetes Society will release a message on diabetes prevention.

Participants will identify molecular links between dyslipidemia and altered energy metabolism in metabolic diseases such as obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes and provide deeper insights into the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis related to these disorders, as well as future prospects of prevention and treatment.

In this symposium, participants will provide an update on research into the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes and deeper insights into fulminant type 1 diabetes and slowly progressive insulin-dependent diabetes.