American Diabetes Association will award Dr Vijay Viswanathan, Head and Chief Diabetologist, MV Hospital for Diabetes (WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Education and Training in Diabetes), Chennai, with the Vivian Fonseca Scholar Award, instituted for the first time this year for diabetes research in special populations, for his work on diabetes and TB. The award will be given at the 73rd Scientific Sessions from June 21-25, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.
The award was established by the association to recognise diabetes research focused on the South Asian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations and/or research by a scientist from these areas of the world. The award is given in honour of P Nagendran. It recognises the contributions of Dr Vivian Fonseca, the Association’s 2012 President, Medicine and Science, who in his years of volunteer service to the organisation, has been a mentor and role model to many researchers and clinicians.
The connection between diabetes and TB is gaining much public heath importance world over. In the abstract, “Effect of Diabetes on the Treatment Outcome of Smear Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis- A Report from South India,” Vijay had reported that TB patients who have diabetes do badly compared to those without diabetes which has significant public health implications.
EP News Bureau – Mumbai
