David G. Marrero

The 2013 inaugural recipient of the Bantz-Petronio Translating Research into Practice Award, David G. Marrero is the J.O. Ritchey Endowed Professor of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine. His translational research into diabetes identification and management has shown that improving risk factors depends upon tailoring disease management programs to specific populations to better address health disparities. In a practical application of this work, he and his colleagues have developed a tablet-based program that explains what risks of cardiovascular disease an individual person has and then educates on reducing those risks. He also implemented an innovative and successful program at the YMCA to assist in the identification of persons at risk for diabetes followed by educational and behavioral interventions focused on diet and exercise. This program is now the subject of a CMS demonstration project.