C. Ronald Kah, M.D. has spent most of his career investigating insulin receptors and the role of insulin sensitivity in diabetes and obesity.
Kahn is currently the Chief Academic Officer and Head of Joslin’s Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism at the Joslin Diabetes Centre.
Education and research
Kahn was educated at the University of Louisville and Washington University. He later served at the diabetes branch of the National Institute of Health as a Clinical Associate in Endocrinology.
Kahn investigated how insulin affects cells, and why specific cells develop insulin resistance, a primary cause of type 2 diabetes .
In 1981, Kahn’s research led him to become the Research Director of Josli, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in 1984.
Kahn was the first to proclaim how important the role of insulin action is in the brain, and how fat cells can increase the risk of metabolic disease.
In 1986, he was awarded the Mary K. Iacocca Professorship.
Joslin presidency
Kahn became Joslin’s president from 2000-2007. His team now investigate genes and proteins in relation to obesity , diabetes and other insulin-resistant states.
His research helped explain how genes and the environment affect type 2 diabetes, and has led to him receiving a plethora of scientific awards.
In his current role as Chief Academic Officer, Kahn trains roughly 150 doctors and doctoral fellows a year. His research continues to seek new treatment targets for diabetes.
