Daniel Drucker among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people

Photo by Polina Teif.

Endocrinologist and U of T alum Daniel Drucker (MD 1980, PGMT 1983) is part of a team of researchers recognized by Time magazine for their roles in advancing next-generation treatments for diabetes and weight loss.

Drucker, a senior investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, and a University Professor in the department of medicine at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, shares a spot on Time’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2024 with Joel Habener of Harvard University and Svetlana Mojsov of Rockefeller University.

The scientists were honoured for their contributions to the development of a new class of drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, based on their discoveries about gut hormones known as glucagon-like peptides.

These medications, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, help manage blood sugar levels by boosting insulin production and reducing the liver’s release of sugar.

“Drucker’s experiments pinpointed the specific parts of GLP-1 responsible for affecting insulin levels,” the magazine said. “Now GLP-1-based medications are approved in the U.S. to treat diabetes and obesity, and to reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Drucker, who has been recognized with a Gairdner International Award and Wolf Prize for his work, is currently exploring other potential health benefits, including reducing inflammation in chronic metabolic diseases.

Read more at Time magazine