South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute

The South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute (STDOI) was established on October 13, 2014, to be a focus for world-class biomedical research programs that would address the serious health issues prevalent in the Rio Grande Valley. With research efforts in the areas of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, fatty liver disease, psychiatric disease, osteoporosis, and infectious diseases of border health relevance such as Chagas disease, Zika virus infection, and tuberculosis, the STDOI is tackling the most critical public health problems facing the region. The Institute has state-of-the-art resources to support its research, including genomic and proteomic research laboratories, a 12,000-processor high performance computer cluster dedicated to genetic analysis, a unique induced pluripotent stem cell program, a biorepository containing tens of thousands of samples collected through the STDOI’s numerous family studies of complex disease, and a specialized colony of laboratory opossums (Monodelphis domestica). 

Mission

The mission of the South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute (STDOI) is to advance the health of South Texas and the world through cutting-edge research on diabetes, obesity, and related disorders. Using state-of-the-art resources and tools, the faculty and staff of the STDOI conduct research on a broad range of diseases and conditions related to diabetes and obesity. Building on a long history of work with minority populations and international research, STDOI scientists are committed to reducing health disparities in the Rio Grande Valley and to improving health across the globe.

Focus

The South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute will:

• Build a global Center for research on the genetic factors influencing diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and related disorders;
• Conduct innovative research on minority health and border health issues;
• Make discoveries, which ultimately will yield new cures and treatments that will improve health in South Texas and throughout the world.
• Create state of the art resources and capabilities to support research on diabetes, obesity and related disorders.