2025 Annual Meeting moves the needle on diabetes
On Friday, November 21, 2025, the Indiana CTSI convened researchers, clinicians, trainees, community partners, and industry collaborators for its Annual Meeting under the theme “Moving the Needle: Treating Diabetes Together.” They met in the Hine Hall auditorium on the IU Indianapolis campus.
Building on tradition, but with a focused lens
The 2025 program addressed new advances in treating diabetes. Approximately 12% of Hoosiers have diabetes, and Indiana has a long legacy of innovation in diabetes treatment, dating back to Eli Lilly and Company’s commercialization of insulin production in the early 1920s. This year’s Annual Meeting tapped into both the challenges and the opportunities in addressing this major public health challenge.
Recognizing Kevan Herold, MD
Keynote speaker Kevan Herold, MD, of Yale School of Medicine, received the 2025 August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research. He was recognized for his significant achievements in translational immunology, including the development of the first immune therapy shown to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes. (Read more about Herold’s impact.)
His keynote address, titled “Charting the Way to Prevention and Reversal of Type 1 Diabetes,” offered insights into immunobiology, translational therapies for type 1 diabetes, and how collaboration across disciplines may advance the field. Q&A was moderated by Tatiana Foroud, PhD, executive associate dean for Research Affairs at Indiana University School of Medicine.
During his presentation, Herold shared the story of a healthy young participant in one of his clinical trials. The participant told him she was in the trial because she wanted to help her teacher, who had diabetes.
“Never forget that trial participants are heroes,” Herold said.
Sessions & themes
Moderated by Linda DiMeglio, MD, MPH, of the IU School of Medicine, the morning session featured talks on innovative approaches to researching and treating diabetes. Speakers from IU School of Medicine, IU Indianapolis, and Eli Lilly and Company shared their work on primary and adjunctive therapies for type 1 diabetes; engineering new, non-invasive tools for monitoring glucose; and using participatory design methods in research.
In the afternoon, Richard DiMarchi, PhD, of IU Bloomington, moderated a session that turned toward emerging science and next-generation therapies. The presentations included advances in glucagon therapeutics; the design of “smart” insulins; understanding beta cell failure in the disease process; and surgical and pharmaceutical treatments for obesity. Speakers represented IU School of Medicine, the University of Notre Dame, and the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute.
Recognizing Dr. Linda DiMeglio
DiMeglio, moderator of the morning panel, received the 2025 Indiana CTSI Mentoring Excellence Award in Clinical and Translational Research. She was honored for her more than two decades of service and a record of mentorship that has shaped the careers of more than 50 trainees in clinical, translational and population-based research. Read more about DiMeglio’s contributions.
Time for networking and collaboration
After the meeting, the Indiana CTSI hosted a reception so that attendees could have more time to connect, socialize and network.
In addition to enjoying conversation and refreshments, attendees had the opportunity to share why they were thankful for the Indiana CTSI on two foam boards on display outside the auditorium. Themes included collaboration opportunities, the importance of federally-funded research, and “the people!”
Looking ahead
The 2025 Annual Meeting highlighted the strength of Indiana’s research partnerships, but it also reflected work the Indiana CTSI drives all year long. Beyond this meeting, the institute continuously connects investigators with resources, accelerates discovery, and supports community-engaged research that turns scientific ideas into real-world improvements. By fostering collaboration across campuses, industries, and national networks, the Indiana CTSI keeps moving the needle on translational research well beyond the Annual Meeting.
The next Annual Meeting will be held on September 18, 2026.
Thank you, volunteers!
The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Indiana CTSI was made possible by the work of an outstanding group of volunteers. This year the volunteer team had representation from all of our partner institutions and was led by Deidre Gray, program management assistant for the Indiana CTSI’s Community Health Partnerships program.
Photos by Marc Lebryk
