Marc Y. Donath

Marc Y. Donath is a Professor and Head of the Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland. His main scientific contribution is the description of an inflammatory process underlying the failure of the pancreatic islet to produce sufficient amount of insulin in Type-2 diabetes, with a central role for IL-1ß. On the basis of this, he initiated a pioneering clinical trial in patients with Type-2 diabetes that vindicates his hypothesis and opens the way for a causative treatment and prevention of diabetes. These studies have now entered Phase 3 clinical trials. Furthermore, he identified a new endocrine loop by showing that elevated IL-6 mediates a cross talk between insulin sensitive tissues, L cells and pancreatic islets to adapt to changes in insulin. Recently, Dr. Donath has uncovered the first monogenic form of Type-1 diabetes. Overall this research has contributed to the concept that the innate immune system is part of the regulation of metabolism.