T1D Exchange Announces Appointment of Dana Ball as Chief Executive Officer

Diabetes philanthropy veteran will oversee growth of innovative diabetes organization

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Dec 06, 2012, 11:13 ET

BOSTON, Dec. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The T1D Exchange, a not-for-profit organization accelerating the discovery of new approaches to type 1 diabetes research and treatment, announced today that Dana Ball has joined the organization as Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Mr. Ball will oversee the integration and expansion of the T1D Exchange's multiple components, including the clinical registry, biobank and Glu, an online social network for people with type 1 diabetes. Mr. Ball previously served as Program Director of the Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Program at The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and is one of the cofounders of the T1D Exchange. Prior to joining the Helmsley Charitable Trust in 2008, Mr. Ball was Executive Director of the Iacocca Foundation.

The T1D Exchange was designed to connect the disparate stakeholders in the type 1 diabetes community — individuals with type 1 diabetes, caregivers, clinicians, researchers and industry partners — by combining the critical components of a traditional clinical research with the expanding fields of health information technology and social networking. The T1D Exchange was formally established in 2010 through a grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust's Type 1 Diabetes Program.

"Dana led the design and development of the Helmsley T1D Program and we believe he is the perfect individual to ensure the Exchange fulfill its goals," said David Panzirer, Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. "The T1D Exchange was one of many programs Dana initiated that has the potential to change the speed and efficiency of research and development for promising new therapies and devices."

"The T1D Exchange began as an abstract idea that Dana found ways to nurture by bringing the right people and resources together. It would not be where it is now without him. His leadership will help us fulfill the promise this type 1 diabetes resource offers," said Roy W. Beck, MD, PhD, Executive Director of the Jaeb Center for Health Research and Vice President of the T1D Exchange Board of Directors. "The T1D Exchange Clinic Registry, the first initiative of the T1D Exchange Clinic Network, has collected data on over 26 thousand individuals with type 1 diabetes. We are gaining vital knowledge about how type 1 diabetes is managed among individuals of all ages, knowledge we would not have if it were not for the vision of Dana Ball and the Helmsley T1D Program."

Importantly, Glu (www.myglu.org), a website for individuals with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers recently launched. Glu currently has over 3,500 members who log in on a frequent basis, some daily, answering the question of the day, starting or responding to discussions, or participating in research activities, surveys and developing studies. Glu is truly a community with a purpose; dedicated to supporting its members, facilitating research, and empowering people with type 1 diabetes to participate and influence the future of new therapies and solutions. Glu provides the platform to empower patients, acting as a conduit to the drug, device, and R&D community. According to Mr. Ball, "Managing type 1 diabetes is a 24 hour daily requirement to monitor blood sugars and manage insulin delivery in a fashion that mimics what a healthy pancreas does minute by minute. Glu is designed to support people touched by type 1 diabetes on a daily basis and empower members by participating in research and development projects to advance better technologies and treatments on the path to a cure." Over 90 percent of Glu members responding to the question "Would you donate blood to Type 1 diabetes research," responded yes, demonstrating the proactive nature of participants.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes are being enrolled into the T1D Exchange Clinic Registry at 69 centers throughout the United States. There are presently more than 26 thousand individuals enrolled. Participants span a wide range of ages, from infants to adults over 90 years of age, with representation across a broad spectrum of racial and ethnic groups. The registry also includes over 250 participants who have had type 1 diabetes for more than 50 years. Since June 2011, the T1D Exchange has presented 16 abstracts at 5 different national and international diabetes conferences, including the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions, the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

About the T1D Exchange
The T1D Exchange is a unique platform for collaborative data collection and sharing that consists of three overlapping components: a clinic-based registry with clinical, biological and other real-life information from individuals with type 1 diabetes, a registry that is coordinated through a network of clinical centers and an interactive online community for individuals living with type 1 diabetes. The T1D Exchange is a not-for-profit initiative founded through a three-year grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and developed in partnership with the Jaeb Center for Health Research. More information is available at www.t1dexchange.org.

SOURCE T1D Exchange