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Debbie Thurmond Bio

Debbie C. Thurmond, Ph.D.

Ruth B. & Robert K. Lanman Chair in Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery Research
Research Focus
  • Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
  • Cellular pathways/mechanisms of insulin release and blood glucose control
  • Cellular therapies to treat type-1 and type-2 diabetes
  • Improving islet cell transplantation
  • Biomarkers for detecting diabetes development
Appointments
Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology; Deputy Director of the Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute
626-256-4673
Biography Menu

Research Teams

  • Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology

Debbie Thurmond, Ph.D., is renowned research scientist who joined City of Hope's Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute as professor and founding chair of the newly created Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. Dr. Thurmond and her team will lead efforts to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms in diabetes development and therapies that can stop or reverse those processes. This can potentially lead to innovative treatment and prevention modalities for diabetes.

Dr. Thurmond received her Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at the University of Iowa, and earned her M.S. and B.S. degrees from the University of California, Davis. She currently serves on multiple editorial boards, international grant review panels and as associate editor for Diabetologia.

Locations

Duarte
Duarte

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1500 East Duarte Road

Duarte, CA 91010

626-256-4673 | Learn More
Education

Degrees

  • 1997 - University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, Ph.D., Biochemistry
  • 1992 - University of California Davis, Davis, CA, M.S., Nutrition
  • 1988 - University of California Davis, Davis, CA, B.S., Animal Science

Fellowship

  • 1996 to 1997 - Predoctoral Fellow, University of Iowa, Department of Biochemistry
  • 1998 to 2001 - NIH Individual NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 1997 to 2000 - Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Iowa, Department of Physiology & Biophysics
Professional Experience
  • 2015 to Present - Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, CA
  • 2014 to Present - Founder and CEO, STX Bio, Inc.
  • 2011 to 2015 - Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Cellular & Integrative Physiology
  • 2009 to 2015 - Associate Director, Associate Professor, Basic Diabetes Group, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
  • 2009 to 2015 - Member, Purdue University Graduate Faculty
  • 2007 to 2011 - Associate Professor with tenure, Indiana University School of Medicine, Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Cellular & Integrative Physiology
  • 2003 to 2015 - Member, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine
  • 2001 to 2015 - Member, Center for Diabetes Research, Indiana University School of Medicine
  • 2001 to 2007 - Assistant Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine, Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Cellular & Integrative Physiology
  • 2000 to 2001 - Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Iowa, Department of Physiology & Biophysics
  • 1998 to 1999 - Consultant, Bio-Research Products, Inc., North Liberty, IA
  • 1992 to 1997 - Teaching/Research Assistant, University of Iowa, Department of Biochemistry
Research

Laboratory

The Debbie Thurmond Lab seeks to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms behind diabetes development and find therapies that can stop or reverse the disease’s progression. Other projects focus on improving islet cell transplantation and revealing biomarkers for detecting diabetes development. 
 

Awards
  • 2020, Carol Emmott Fellowship
  • 2019, John K. and Mary E. Davidson Lectureship and Award for Outstanding Diabetes Research, University of Toronto
  • 1987 - Chancellor’s Outstanding Senior Leadership Award, Univ. of California, Davis
  • 1997 - Subramanian “Best Thesis” Award in Biochemistry, Univ. of Iowa
  • 1999 - Keystone symposia scholarship, Membrane Protein Trafficking
  • 1999 - President’s Poster Session Presentation, American Diabetes Association meeting
  • 2000 - Keystone symposia scholarship, Diabetes Mellitus
  • 2000 - American Diabetes Association travel scholarship
  • 2002 - American Diabetes Association Islet Biology symposia travel scholarship
  • 2003 - Career Development Award, American Diabetes Association
  • 2004 - American Diabetes Association Young Investigator Travel Scholarship
  • 2004, 2005, 2008 - NIH Metabolism/CADO Study section/SEP, Ad Hoc member
  • 2005 - Grant review for the Univ Michigan DRTC, Univ Colorado Health Sciences Center DERC
  • 2005 to 2009 - Grant reviewer for The Wellcome Trust, UK
  • 2006-2009, Invited Reviewer, American Diabetes Association, section on Insulin Exocytosis
  • 2006 to 2008 - Vice- and President, Sigma Xi chapter at Indiana University School of Medicine
  • 2006 to 2009 - Research Grant Review Panel of the American Diabetes Association, invited member
  • 2007 to 2010 - Editorial Board member, Endocrinology
  • 2009 - Nominee finalist, ADA Outstanding Young Investigator Award
  • 2009 to 2013 - Standing member, NIH study section on Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology (MCE)
  • 2010 to Present - Editorial Board member, AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism
  • 2010 - IUPUI Research Frontiers Trailblazer Award (for outstanding Associate Professor)
  • 2011 to Present - Editorial Board member, Journal of Biological Chemistry
  • 2014 to Present - Research Grant Review Panel of the American Heart Association, invited member
  • 2014 to 2015 - Swedish Research Council, Strategic Planning Member
Memberships
  • 2013, Professional Member, European Assoc. for the Study of Diabetes
  • 2010, Professional Member, American Physiological Society
  • 2007 Professional Member, Endocrine Society
  • 2004, Professional Member, American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
In The News
MEDIA

Faces of Diabetes Innovation Ep 3 Debbie Thurmond

11/01/2019
An Expert's Voice
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