Dr. Beisswenger (or PJB as we call him) has dedicated his life to reducing the burden on people living with diabetes. He developed the technology for NaviDKD while working to understand why some of his patients developed diabetes-related complications while others, with the same glycemic control and risk factors, did not. After attending medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, he went to Harvard for his post-doctoral studies before ultimately joining the Dartmouth School of Medicine where he spent 38 years as a clinician, professor, and researcher.
Let’s get to know Dr. Beisswenger a little better.
I felt becoming a clinician was the key way for me to understand what is needed to improve outcomes for my patients and those who love them.
Being able to take my hypothesis on the cause of individual susceptibility to diabetic complications, receive grant funding from the NIH, JDRF, etc which allowed me to document my findings in multiple clinical outcome trials. I’ve been able to collaborate with smart, innovative, and fun people who have all enriched my life and amplified my career.
When I was a practicing endocrinologist, I would be very frustrated when my patients would develop complications, even after working really hard to maintain blood sugar control. This became a passion to create screening technologies that can make a real difference in my patients’ lives by predicting risk.
My mentors who could translate science into real-world practice.
I’m a fan of boats. I used to enjoy cruising the coast of Maine in my wooden sloop and racing catboats.
The treatments for diabetes and coronary artery disease and our ability to predict risk for complications when prevention is still possible.