The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes provides cutting-edge resources for pediatric endocrine research, education, clinical services, and advocacy.

Our mission is to provide excellence in clinical care and patient safety, to facilitate growth and advancement in the areas of training and education, and to pursue patient-oriented research in pediatric endocrine disorders. Our faculty and fellows provide consultative care to patients with the entire range of hormonal and metabolic endocrine disorders in daily outpatient clinics at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center and Duke Consultative Services of Raleigh. We maintain distinct Insulin Resistance and Types 1 and 2 Diabetes Clinics, as well as a Comprehensive Lipid Clinic for children that is staffed jointly with Pediatric Cardiology and Nutrition. Our clinical staff also includes a certified diabetes nurse educator, a diabetes social worker and two diabetes and general endocrine nutritionists. The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes records nearly 7500 outpatient visits each year.

Faculty and fellows attend on all hospitalized children with diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic disorders and actively collaborate with members of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This permits direct involvement in the management of children with diabetic ketoacidosis, neuroendocrine emergencies, neonatal hypoglycemia and other critical electrolyte disturbances, and neonatal thyroid and adrenal disorders.

We have a robust three-year fellowship program that is fully accredited by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education. Our educational goals are to train the future physician-scientists and academic leaders in pediatric endocrine disorders, fund young researchers working in basic science and patient-oriented research, and train physicians in family-based, patient-centered clinical services.

Our Division is actively involved in multiple clinical and basic/translational research protocols. Clinical research within the Division focuses on: (a) the roles of lifestyle intervention and pharmacotherapy in the prevention of type 2 diabetes in high risk children; (b) the pathogenesis and treatment of childhood malnutrition in the developing world (Uganda); (c) the pathogenesis of obesity in children with Prader Willi syndrome and Down syndrome; and (d) the pathogenesis of celiac disease in children with type 1 diabetes. Divisional members participate in the national Type 1 Diabetes Exchange.

Basic/translational research interests include: (a) the hormonal control of maternal metabolism and fetal growth; (b) the roles of hormones and nutrition in immune cell development, function and metabolism; (c) the roles of macronutrients in the control of weight gain in rats; and (d) the roles of sex steroids in the pathogenesis and complications of fatty liver disease.