St. Michael's Hospital endocrinologist receives Novo Nordisk Diabetes Innovation Award

Research focus is to slow and potentially reverse kidney damage in patients suffering from diabetes

Dr. Andrew Advani, an endocrinologist at St. Michael's Hospital, is one of 10 researchers in North America who received a newly created Novo Nordisk Diabetes Innovation Award.

Dr. Advani's Early Exploration Award is worth $325,000 (U.S.) over two years.

His research focus is to slow and potentially reverse kidney damage in patients suffering from diabetes. In diabetic kidney disease, the tiny filters in the kidney known as glomeruli become damaged and begin to leak proteins into the urine.

This award will enable Dr. Advani to investigate new ways to slow or even prevent kidney damage that leads to protein leakage. Through his studies, Dr. Advani hopes to develop new treatments to prevent kidney injury in diabetes, currently the most common cause of kidney disease worldwide.

Dr. Advani's research project was selected from more than 80 proposals submitted from U.S. and Canadian research institutions.

Novo Nordisk is an international healthcare company based in Denmark recognized as a world leader in diabetes treatment. The Novo Nordisk Diabetes Innovation Award Program was launched in 2011 to help scientists substantiate early research efforts that could result in new treatment options for diabetes and obesity.