Latest News

New Ways To Predict The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes

DRC Director's Report - November 2017

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Wei Bao, Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC) was recently awarded a $419,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a project entitled: Pregnancy-associated microRNAs in plasma as predictors of gestational diabetes.  Some of the preliminary work that contributed to this award were provided by pilot funding from the FOEDRC.

New Muscle Wasting Research Holds Promise at UI

DRC Director's Report, October 2017

A hearty “Congratulations!” is in order for Dr. Christopher Adams, Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and member of the FOE DRC who is the recipient of a five-year, $2.4M grant from the National Institutes of Health to study skeletal muscle atrophy. Dr. Adams holds an FOEDRC endowed chair, and this recent success underscores the important impact of the investment of the FOEDRC towards the ongoing success of his research program.  In preliminary studies, performed in mouse models, Dr. Adams and members of his lab identified the first example of a protein that is required for the loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality, strength, and endurance exercise capacity during aging: the transcription factor ATF4.

Stressing Muscle Metabolism Prevents Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Exciting new research was recently published in the EMBO Journal by the laboratory of FOEDRC Director, Dale Abel.   The study suggests that gently stressing muscle metabolism could help prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes.  The study was carried out on mice where the team found triggering a type of metabolic stress increased levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21).  The findings showed the animals were completely protected from obesity and diabetes. Interestingly, in the mice which had already started to develop the condition, the hormone reversed the diabetes and helped them return to a normal weight with normal blood sugar levels.

FOE, Soldier Strong Partner To Donate Ekso GT Suit to CHI Health Rehab Institute in Omaha

STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 28, 2017 -- The Fraternal Order of Eagles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community service and philanthropy, today announced that in partnership with SoldierStrong, it will be donating an EksoGT™ exoskeleton, to the CHI Health Immanuel Rehabilitation Institute. The donation ceremony, which will include a patient demonstration, will take place at the center on Monday, August 28^th at 1:30 p.m.

“We are grateful for the generosity of these national organizations and for their commitment to helping veterans,” said Larry Niemann, Director of Rehabilitation Service, CHI Health Immanuel Rehabilitation Institute. “This heartfelt donation will help our rehabilitation program deliver even more leading treatments to our patients, many of whom are veterans, to help them to stand up and relearn to walk.”

F.O.E. Racing Heads To Michigan August 12

Tune into FOX Sports 1 Saturday at 1 p.m. ET for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series LTI Printing 200 live from Michigan International Speedway.

Justin Haley will be piloting the No. 24 F.O.E. Chevy Silverado as he continues his push to make the playoffs.

If you're in the area, stop by Irish Hills Eagles #3689 near the track to meet Justin Haley tonight at 6 p.m. ET

FOE Racing Hits The Drag Strip in Seattle

Chemicals in Plastic Bottles and the Risk of Obesity and Diabetes

DRC Director's Report, August 2017

As you all know, there are many factors that may contribute to the growing risk of obesity and diabetes worldwide. Many understand that an unhealthy diet, gaining too much weight or not exercising enough will certainly contribute to increasing your risk of diabetes.  However, there is also a growing realization that certain environmental exposures and chemicals to which we might be exposed could also increase this risk.

Membership Department Announces Re-Enrollment, Early Bird Contest Winners

Earlier this year, the Grand Aerie Membership Department held a pair of contests geared toward growing our Membership. The Re-enrollment contest was held from March 1-May 31 with members receiving one entry for each re-enrollee they sign during the period. Winners will receive $250.

The Early Bird contest was held from April 15-May 31 with the Aeries and Auxiliaries achieving the highest percentage of renewals and the highest number of renewals receiving a $1,000 credit on their next Per-Capita Tax payment.

The Membership Department is proud to announce our contest winners!

FOEDRC Continues To Lead In Studies Increasing Our Understanding of FGF21

DRC Director's Report, July 2017

As diabetes researchers work to identify potential new treatments for diabetes, colleagues at the FOEDRC continue to advance our understanding of how newly discovered hormones might work in ways that may lead to new ways to treat and prevent obesity and diabetes. One such hormone is fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). Dr. Matthew Potthoff recently showed in mice that this hormone critically regulates the “sweet tooth” in mice. In a recent follow up study with collaborators from Denmark and published in the Journal Cell Metabolism,  it is now confirmed that FGF21 also regulates sweet preference in humans.  Now, Dr. Potthoff’s team has solved another piece of the puzzle by showing how and where FGF21 might act to regulate the body’s metabolism.

DRC Receives $2.02 Million Training Grant From National Institutes of Health

I am pleased to share with you that Dr. E. Dale Abel, Director of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC) and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and Dr. Andrew (Andy) Norris, FOEDRC’s Associate Director, have just been awarded a five-year, $2.02M training grant from the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. The T32 grant will fund the Diabetes Research Training Program at the University of Iowa and will support up to six post-doctoral trainees or subspecialty fellows per year. The grant will support existing trainees or support the recruitment of outstanding new trainees to the University of Iowa.