Meet the Canadian who just won Israel’s top science prize for his diabetes-treatment breakthrough

Dr. Daniel J. Drucker was sitting in his research lab at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital when his name was announced that he’d won Israel’s Wolf Prize, a Nobel-like award given to scientists and artists who help the world. The announcement came Feb. 9. Drucker is only the 11th Canadian to win the prestigious award since its inception in 1978, and some people think it also gives him a good chance to nab the real Nobel. Drucker, the Canadian son of Holocaust survivors, is credited for discovering how certain hormones in the body help stimulate insulin to lower blood sugar. His work prompted a batch of new drugs to treat Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, thus helping millions of patients around the world. Nowadays, these drugs—including the popular Ozempic brand you might have heard of—are also being used for treating obesity, and potentially could work for diseases of the heart and brain, including Alzheimer’s, MS and Parkinson’s. Drucker joins The CJN Daily to explain why. What we talked about: Learn more about Dr. Daniel J. Drucker’s research How diabetics can survive Passover seders, in The CJN. Read Dr. Drucker’s ongoing research on his website Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.