David Blodgett, PhD
David is unique among UMass Memorial Diabetes Center of Excellence patients. He has a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, is a faculty member at Babson College, and research scientist at the UMass Chan Medical School. His journey began as a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at three years old. Today he's a happy and healthy adult focusing his scientific career on finding the cure for diabetes.
“I don’t remember not having diabetes,” he said. He perceives it as a disease that can be managed and controlled if people "stay on top of it." He remembers the "old diabetes technology" of test strips and early blood glucose meters. That's why David is a big fan of the newest diabetes technology, especially the latest insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors which “make it easier to predict what's going to happen and to know what's currently happening.”
David has worn a insulin pump since middle school and progressively took more control of his diabetes, eating habits, and athletic endeavors. He never felt deprived of sports, travel and fun activities as a child and he certainly doesn’t feel that way today.
Dr. Blodgett's research is focused on studying pancreatic beta cells and what makes them different. His work in the Harlan Lab is instrumental to the break-through scientific discoveries being made at the UMass Diabetes Center of Excellence.