Mark Atkinson, Ph.D. is currently the American Diabetes Association Eminent Scholar for Diabetes Research at the University of Florida where he serves as Director for that institution's Diabetes Institute. The author of over 375 publications, Dr. Atkinson is beginning his 30th year of investigation into the field of type 1 diabetes. He has been the recipient of multiple scientific and humanitarian based awards for these efforts. Throughout his career, Dr. Atkinson has been active in a leadership service to professional, non-profit, and governmental agencies affiliated with the type 1 diabetes community. He is the ad hoc Editor in Chief of the journals Diabetes and Diabetes Care. He twice chaired national expert panels seeking renewal of the congressionally awarded, special funding for type 1 diabetes research.
Dr. Atkinson is an internationally recognized authority on multiple aspects pertaining to type 1 diabetes, with particular interests in disease prediction and prevention, the role for environment in the initiation of the disease, stem cells and pancreatic regeneration, and the identification of markers of tolerance and immunoregulation. In June of 2014, Enterscape noted him as the #2 ranked individual, at a global level, for influence in the field of diabetes (of more than 60,000 persons).
Beyond his research accomplishments, Dr. Atkinson is well-known for spending considerable time with persons either having or caring for those with type 1 diabetes; addressing their questions and sharing his passion and desire to see a cure for the disease. He also oversees considerable humanitarian based efforts to developing countries. Indeed, he serves on the International Advisory Board for Life for a Child, and recently assumed the role of President for Insulin for Life USA; both organizations are specifically dedicated to see that insulin is provided to those globally where access to this life saving drug is limited.
