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Trying to make a difference for those with Type 1 diabetes: a lesson in patience as well as a willingness to fail mightily

Interview by Rona Williamson Mark A Atkinson is currently an Eminent Scholar for Diabetes Research at the University of Florida (FL, USA). The author of more than 300 publications, Dr Atkinson is beginning his 29th year of investigation into the field of Type 1 diabetes, and has been the recipient of multiple scientific- and humanitarian-based awards for these efforts. He has also been active in a leadership service to the Type 1 diabetes community, with active administrative or advisory service to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the NIH, the Immunology of Diabetes Society (IDS) and a variety of companies from the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. He is a charter member of the NIH’s Immune Tolerance Network Scientific Advisory Board, a member of the External Scientific Advisory Board to the NIH Beta Cell Biology Consortium and a member of NIH TrialNet. He is also the executive director for the Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (nPOD). Dr Atkinson is an internationally recognized authority on multiple aspects pertaining to Type 1 diabetes, with particular interests in disease prediction and prevention, the role for environment in the initiation of the disease, stem cells and pancreatic regeneration, pancreatic pathology, clinical trials seeking to prevent or reverse the disease and the identification of markers of tolerance and immunoregulation.