Rutgers Faculty Contributes to New International Consensus Report on Precision Medicine in Diabetes Prevention and Care

Research by Ellen C. Francis, assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health, contributed to a new international consensus report on precision medicine in diabetes prevention and care. The report highlights opportunities for the immediate or near-term adoption of precision diabetes medicine in clinical practice, while also emphasizing the critical knowledge gaps that are essential to address.

The report, supported by the American Diabetes Association, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, shows clear progress in implementing precision diabetes medicine, shedding light on opportunities for its immediate or near-term clinical application.

Furthermore, precision medicine shows potential in managing gestational diabetes. Notably, specific maternal characteristics have been identified as predictive factors for the success or failure of treatment; these include age, BMI, and a family history of diabetes. Moreover, evidence supports the notion that maternal variables such as BMI, insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and dyslipidaemia can contribute to more precise diagnostic assessments. These latter findings were supported by work conducted by Francis, who is lead author on the manuscript describing this evidence which has been accepted for publication in Nature Communications Medicine.

“I am very fortunate to have been invited to contribute to this important work and to represent Rutgers in precision medicine initiatives within the scope of diabetes research,” commented Francis.

While the consensus report highlights areas where precision medicine can have an impact in clinical practice, it also draws attention to research gaps and the need for improved research methods.

“Our work, as well as the other reviews that contributed evidence to the consensus report identified areas where research is lacking, and where future studies should focus,” adds Francis. “As new faculty, I hope to be able to collaborate with other researchers and innovators within the Rutgers School of Public Health and the larger Rutgers Health community to address some of these gaps”.

Adapted from a press release by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.