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Montefiore in the News

September 26, 2013

Rubina Heptulla, M.D., Investigating Single-Dose Oral Therapy to Regulate Blood Sugar  

NEW YORK (September 26, 2013) – Rubina Heptulla, M.D., a prominent physician-scientist at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate the potential for an existing Type 2 diabetes medication to effectively control after-meal blood sugar levels in patients with Type 1 diabetes. The grant (1DP3DK101078) will support Dr. Heptulla’s work for two years and is part one of a three-part protocol to compare therapies for blood sugar regulation. 

“Rather than patients having to monitor their levels before and after meals and adjust their insulin dose accordingly, our goal is to have a once-per-day oral medication that would work in conjunction with insulin to regulate the blood sugar levels appropriately and eradicate the need for blood draws and self-testing numerous times throughout the day,” Dr. Heptulla said.

Millions of new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year. As incidences of both Type 1 and Type 2 continue to increase, it is vital that effective therapies are available to help patients take control of and successfully manage their condition. 

“This grant is a tribute to Dr. Heptulla’s dedication and reputation in the field,” said Judy Aschner, M.D., physician-in-chief, CHAM and professor of pediatrics, Michael I. Cohen, M.D. University Chair Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “The Montefiore and Einstein communities look forward to the day when Dr. Heptulla’s innovative research changes the treatment options and improves the quality of life and long-term outcomes for children and adults with diabetes throughout the country and the world.”

Dr. Heptulla is chief of the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and Einstein. She is also professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Einstein. Dr. Heptulla joined Montefiore and Einstein faculty in April 2010. An internationally recognized pediatric endocrinologist, she is an expert in diabetes, thyroid, growth, puberty and adrenal disorders, and leads research in these areas. She oversees six pediatric endocrinology and diabetes clinics that receive nearly 200 patient visits each week in locations across Westchester and the Bronx. Dr. Heptulla has received numerous grants and awards for her work and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.