Research

Investigators within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism engage in both foundational and translational research across a broad spectrum of areas, including diabetes, the integrated pathophysiology of obesity, metabolic signaling pathways, pulmonary and neurological development, and rare genetic lipid disorders.

Our faculty actively collaborate with experts across multiple disciplines, including adult and pediatric hematology, pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, pediatric human genetics, and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. These interdisciplinary partnerships are central to our mission of advancing a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary research enterprise that seamlessly integrates laboratory-based inquiry with patient-centered clinical investigation.

Our overarching objective is to foster a dynamic and innovative program that enhances clinical care, drives scientific discovery, and enriches educational initiatives in the field of endocrinology. The primary hub for our basic science research is located at the UC Reading campus, which serves as a cornerstone for our investigative efforts.

Clinical Research & Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies involving human participants, conducted to evaluate new drugs, treatments, or medical approaches. Before reaching this stage, therapies undergo years of testing in cells, tissue cultures, and animal models. Trials are strictly regulated and overseen by the institution’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure safety and ethics.

There are various types of trials—focused on prevention, screening, diagnosis, or treatment. Participants are often followed long-term, even after the study ends, to monitor outcomes.

Government-funded trials at the UC Academic Health Center are listed on the Clinical Trials Webpage, though the list may not be exhaustive. In our Division, clinical trials are focused on advancing diabetes care, offering physicians and patients early access to promising therapies and medications.

Facilities

The UC Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism operates from the Medical Sciences Building and the UC Reading campus, housing advanced laboratories for molecular biology, transgenic model development, tissue culture, data analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Animal research facilities are managed by the UC Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Clinical research is supported through NIH-funded centers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the Cincinnati VA Medical Center.

Fellows Research & Scholarly Activities:

Publications

Welch A, Zulfiqar R, Black E, Falciglia M. Auto-correction Boluses Contribute to Hypoglycemia Following Temporary Target Cessation During Hyperglycemia. J Diabetes Sci Technol 2025 Jul;19(4):1158-1159

Cox DW, Zuzek AC, Genco M, Holm T, Patel SB. Hypercortisolism Due to Paraganglioma Secreting Adrenocorticotropin and Catecholamines. JCEM Case Rep 2025 Apr 10;3(5)

Alfawares, Y., Yang, G.L., Lamichhane, R., Yaqub, A., Ngwenya, L.B. (2024). Neuroendocrine Dysfunction After TBI. In: Brogi, E., Coccolini, F., Ley, E.J., Valadka, A. (eds) Traumatic Brain Injury. Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50117-3_25

Boddhula S, Boddhula SK, Reddy Garlapati P, Patel MJ, Ekanem S, Adapa S, Fong V, Balaji S, Murthi S, Gayam V. Diabetic Ketoacidosis and COVID-19: A Case Series From an Inner-City Community Teaching Hospital in New York. Cureus. 2022. Jul 5;14(7):e26580.

Shah S, Manzoor S, Rothman Y, Hagen M, Pater L, Golnik K, Mahammedi A, Lin AL, Bhabhra R, Forbes JA, Sengupta S. Complete Response of a Patient with a Mismatch Repair Deficient Aggressive Pituitary Adenoma to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Case Report. Neurosurgery. 2022 May 13. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35544035.

Genco MT, Yaqub A, Jana S. Challenges in the evaluation and management of radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer.. Nucl Med Commun. 2022 Jul 1;43(7):743-745. doi: 10.1097/MNM.0000000000001568. Epub 2022 Apr 19. PMID: 35438680

Awasty S S, Jafri S, Manzoor S, and Yaqub A. Hypercalcemia Secondary to Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in an HIV-Infected Individual With Mycobacterium avium Complex. Cureus. 2021 Sep 21;13(9):e18174. doi: 10.7759/cureus.18174. PMID: 34703699

Rehman A, Obici S, Yaqub A Radioiodine Therapy-Induced Conversion of Toxic Adenoma to Graves' Disease. Cureus. 2020 Jun 18;12(6):e8683. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8683. PMID: 32699683

Abstracts Presented

Atri-Schuller, A., Zuzek, A., Yaqub, A. Debunking the Bimodal Theory of Autoimmunity: Grave’s Disease (GD) Hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s Disease (HD) Hypothyroidism can Coexist on a Spectrum. ENDO June 202, Boston, MA.

Abdelgyed, E and Yaqub, A. Impending thyroid storm in a patient with molar pregnancy. Presented at the 33^rd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), (May 2024, New Orleans, LA)