Frank J. Snoek, PhD, has been selected to receive the American Diabetes Association's® (ADA's) 2019 Richard R. Rubin Award. This award recognizes a behavioral researcher who has made outstanding, innovative contributions to the study and understanding of the behavioral aspects of diabetes in diverse populations. Dr. Snoek will be recognized with this honor during the ADA’s 79th Scientific Sessions, June 7–11, 2019, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. He will deliver the Richard R. Rubin Award Lecture titled, “#DiabetesPsychologyMatters,” on Saturday, June 8.

Currently, Dr. Snoek is Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Psychology at Amsterdam University Medical Centers in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Additionally, he chairs the Diabetes Psychology Research Group and is the leading clinician of the center’s specialized mental health clinic for patients with diabetes. Throughout his career, Dr. Snoek has received more than 30 major research and training grants, published over 200 papers in peer-reviewed journals, co-edited two handbooks, and presented major international addresses. 

“Dr. Snoek’s research emphasizes the importance of furthering psychological needs assessment and diabetes-specific interventions in diabetes care. His research group developed internationally-used psychological measures and evidence-based therapies for use in diabetes clinics,” said the ADA’s 2019 President of Health Care and Education Gretchen Youssef, MS, RD, CDE. “Congratulations, Dr. Snoek, on this achievement, and thank you for your dedication to improving the lives of people with diabetes.”

A renowned leader of medical psychology, Dr. Snoek has served on seven editorial boards of high-impact journals, as well as maintained Board memberships in major diabetes organizations including the American Diabetes Association, European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and International Diabetes Federation. He was the founding chair of the EASD Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes Study group. He is now working on a service model for patients with diabetes that combines face-to-face and internet treatment tailored to individuals’ psychological profiles, and he recently developed a self-help app for mental vitality for persons with diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association’s 79th Scientific Sessions, the world’s largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes research, prevention and care, will be held June 7-11, 2019, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. Nearly 15,000 leading physicians, scientists, health care professionals and industry representatives from around the world are expected to convene at the Scientific Sessions to unveil cutting-edge research, treatment recommendations and advances toward a cure for diabetes. During the five-day meeting, attendees will receive exclusive access to more than 850 presentations and 2,000 original research presentations, participate in provocative and engaging exchanges with leading diabetes experts, and can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) or Continuing Education (CE) credits for educational sessions. The program is grouped into eight thematic 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. Gretchen Youssef, MS, RDN, CDE, President of Health Care and Education, will deliver her address, “It’s All about Access!,” on Saturday, June 8, and Louis H. Philipson, MD, PhD, FACP, President of Medicine and Science, will deliver his lecture, “Precision Medicine—Addressing the Many Faces of Diabetes,” on Sunday, June 9. Join the Scientific Sessions conversation on social media using #ADA2019.

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