Contact: Michelle Kirkwood, (703) 299-2053
mkirkwood@diabetes.org

Yutaka Seino, MD, PhD, Receives American Diabetes Association’s 2016 Harold Rifkin Awardfor Distinguished International Service in the Cause of Diabetes
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (May XX, 2016) – Yutaka Seino, MD, PhD, has been selected to receive the American
Diabetes Association’s 2016 Harold Rifkin Award for Distinguished International Service in the Cause ofDiabetes. This award honors individual outstanding service in the cause of diabetes, performed with aninternational perspective and with international impact. Seino will be recognized with this honor during theAssociation’s 76th Scientific Sessions®, June 10-14, 2016, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in NewOrleans.
Seino is President of the Kansai Electric Power Hospital, Director General of the Kansai Electric Power Medical
Research Institute and Emeritus Professor of Kyoto University (Japan). His extensive career exemplifies thequalities and achievements that defined Harold Rifkin’s own career. Over the last quarter century, Seino has
become one of the highest impact investigators in diabetes, with more than 500 publications and more than
10,000 citations.
With a focus on pioneering efforts to enhance education and treatment standards for people with diabetes
across Asia, Seino has made numerous contributions to research and to international service in diabetes. His
research has shown that type 2 diabetes in Asians is characterized by impaired insulin secretion, rather thanby insulin resistance. Following this line of research, he made important contributions to incretin physiology
and the development of incretin-based drugs to promote insulin secretion.
“Congratulations, Dr. Seino, for your outstanding career of advancing our knowledge of incretin physiology
and the development of incretin-based drugs,” said Desmond Schatz, MD, President, Medicine & Science for
the American Diabetes Association. “His remarkable research has greatly impacted diabetes care for Asians
worldwide.”
Seino has served as executive director of the Japan Diabetes Society for nearly 20 years and as chair of theJapan Association for Diabetes Education and Care for more than 10 years. He has been chair of the Executive
Committee of United Nations World Diabetes Day in Japan and chair of the Western Pacific region of theInternational Diabetes Federation. Notably, he conceived, founded and launched the Asian Association for theStudy of Diabetes, which now comprises 20 ancillary societies in 17 countries. Seino is dedicated to uniting
Asian countries and communities to improve the lives of people with diabetes and to address the uniquechallenges present in Asian populations.

The 2016 Harold Rifkin Award for Distinguished International Service in the Cause of Diabetes is sponsored byan unrestricted grant from Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.
The American Diabetes Association’s 76th Scientific Sessions, to be held June 10-14, 2016, at the Ernest N.
Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, is the world’s largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes. The
2016 Scientific Sessions is expected to attract more than 16,000 attendees and offers researchers and healthcare professionals from around the world the opportunity to share ideas and learn about the significant
advances in diabetes research, treatment and care. During the five-day meeting, attendees receive access tomore than 2,500 original research presentations, participate in provocative and engaging exchanges withleading diabetes experts, and can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) or Continuing Education (CE)credits. The program is grouped into eight interest areas: Acute and Chronic Complications; Behavioral
Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Education and Exercise; Clinical Diabetes/Therapeutics; Epidemiology/Genetics;
Immunology/Transplantation; Insulin Action/Molecular Metabolism; Integrated Physiology/Obesity; and Islet
Biology/Insulin Secretion. Margaret A. Powers, PhD, RD, CDE, President, Health Care & Education, will deliver
her address on Saturday, June 11, and Desmond Schatz, MD, President, Medicine & Science, will present hisaddress on Sunday, June 12. The top eight abstracts of this year’s Scientific Sessions, including two LateBreaking Abstracts, will be presented on Tuesday, June 14, in the Presidents Oral Session. In total, the 2016
Scientific Sessions includes 378 abstracts in 50 oral sessions, 2,021 poster presentations including 59
moderated poster discussions, and 335 published-only abstracts.
About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes® and its deadly consequences andfighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes;delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice tothose denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, the Association’s mission is to prevent andcure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information, please call
the American Diabetes Association at 800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information fromboth of these sources is available in English and Spanish.
###