Latest News

DRC Director's Report - November 2018

We have known for a very long time that obesity is associated with many cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease (where liver stores fat in large lipid droplets), coronary artery disease, heart failure, and many more chronic diseases are all linked to obesity.

October 2018 Diabetes Research Center Update

Ryan Boudreau, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Internal Medicine and a member of the FOEDRC recently discovered a new protein-coding gene in the human genome  that regulates mitochondria. These studies were simultaneously published in the Journal Cell Reports at the same time as a study from a laboratory at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that made a similar discovery.

GWP Burnett Fills Grand Aerie Officer Vacancy

Due to the unfortunate passing of Grand Trustee John Noldan, a vacancy was left in the Grand Aerie officer positions. To fill this vacancy, Grand Worthy President Carl Burnett, in concurrence with the Board of Grand Trustees, has made the direction to move all current sitting officers beneath the vacancy, up one position and to fill the vacancy at Grand Outside Guard with William “Bill” Stotko of Everett, Wash., Aerie #13.

Food Allergy Linked To Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children

Our Diabetes Center faculty are leaders in diabetes research but occasionally their research leads them to some other areas that are of broad societal interest. This is exemplified by the work of FOEDRC member Dr. Wei Bao MD Ph.D., who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, of the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health.

Grand Trustee John Noldan Passes Away

Brothers and Sisters,

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Grand Trustee John Noldan, 66, of pancreatic cancer. 

John was a proud and dedicated Eagle, firmly committed to upholding the Ritual and serving the Fraternal Order of Eagles in every way he could. He is survived by his loving wife, Kat, four children and nine grandchildren. 

Woodland Aerie #3782 Hosts 2018 International Golf Tournament

The 2018 International Golf Tournament has concluded and we want to thank everyone who took the time to participate in this year’s amazing event.

On August 18-19, Woodland Aerie #3782 in Hastings, Mich., hosted the 2018 International Golf Tournament at The Legacy at Hastings Golf Course. 

Targeting Mitochondrial Fission for Neuroprotection in Diabetic Neuropathy

Drs. Stefan Strack and Yuriy Usachev Professors of Pharmacology and members of the FOEDRC recently received a new grant from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institutes of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) entitled “Targeting mitochondrial fission for neuroprotection in diabetic neuropathy” for a total award of $1,702,888 over four years.

Iowa State Eagles & SoldierStrong Partner to Donate Ekso GT Suit to Younker Rehabilitation

DES MOINES, Iowa. - The Iowa State Fraternal Order of Eagles have partnered with SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, to donate an EksoGT™ exoskeleton to Younker Rehabilitation at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. The robotic exoskeleton is used in rehabilitation to help people—including veterans—who have had a stroke or spinal cord injury walk again.

DRC Researchers Describe A Novel Effect of A Heart Failure Medication to Reduce Diabetes Nerve Damage

Peripheral neuropathy affects more than 50% of patients with diabetes and about 30% of subjects with pre-diabetes. There is no completely effective treatment for this complication of diabetes. 

Technology Developed By DRC Researcher Could Preserve Vision for Diabetes Patients

University of Iowa Health Care patients are the first in the nation to have access to a new technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose diabetic retinopathy.

The technology, known as IDx-DR, is the only medical device authorized by the Food and Drug Administration that uses AI for the autonomous detection of diabetic retinopathy. The device’s algorithm makes the diagnosis based on imaging of the patient’s retina without the need for an eye specialist to interpret the results.