About Us
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 on the inpatient ward and in daily outpatient clinics at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center, Lenox Baker Children’s Hospital, and Duke Children's Specialty Services of Raleigh. Specialized clinics for children and adolescents include:
- Type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
- Comprehensive lipid clinic
- Multidisciplinary clinic for transgender children
- Multidisciplinary clinic for differences of sexual development
- Genetic endocdrine disorders for children with Down syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome, Turner syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome, Marfan syndrome
- Specialized program in osteogenesis imperfecta
Our clinical staff includes a certified diabetes nurse educator, a diabetes social worker and diabetes and general endocrine nutritionists. The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes records more than 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), Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Cardiology Intensive Care Unit (PCICU), and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. This permits direct involvement in the management of children with diabetic ketoacidosis, neuroendocrine emergencies, neonatal hypoglycemia, post transplant endocrinopathy, and other critical electrolyte disturbances, and neonatal thyroid and adrenal disorders.
Fellowship
We have a robust three-year fellowship program that is fully accredited by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). 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.
Research
Our division is actively involved in multiple clinical and basic/translational research protocols. Clinical research within the division focuses on: (a) the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and the prevention of type 2 diabetes in high risk children; (b) the pathogenesis and treatment of childhood malnutrition in the developing world; (c) the pathogenesis of obesity in children with Prader Willi syndrome and Down syndrome; (d) the pathogenesis of celiac disease in children with type 1 diabetes; and (e) the evaluation and management of children with variations of gender identity. 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; and (c) the roles of macro-nutrients, glucocorticoids, and gastrointestinal hormones in the control of appetite and weight gain.
