BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The T1D Exchange, a not-for-profit organization accelerating the discovery of new approaches to type 1 diabetes research and treatment, announced today the hire of Imran Nasrullah, MS, JD, as the first head of strategic alliances. Mr. Nasrullah was previously Chief Business Officer of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. In his new role at the T1D Exchange, Mr. Nasrullah will develop and maintain partnerships with industry, academic and not-for-profit partners. The T1D Exchange was designed to connect the disparate stakeholders in the type 1 diabetes community—individuals with type 1 diabetes, caregivers, clinicians, researchers and industry partners—by combining the critical components of traditional clinical research with the expanding fields of health information technology and social networking. It currently consists of a biobank, clinical registry, and Glu, an online social network for people with type 1 diabetes. The T1D Exchange was founded in 2010 through a grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Type 1 Diabetes Program.
“Over the last two years, the T1D Exchange leadership has worked hard to build the initiative’s framework, and we will soon reach new milestones, including the public launch of our online community, Glu,” said Roy W. Beck, MD, PhD, Executive Director of the Jaeb Center for Health Research and Chairman of the Board of the T1D Exchange. “Imran’s expertise will allow our team to leverage the revolutionary infrastructure we’ve created and begin to unleash the full potential of the T1D Exchange. One of the reasons we chose Boston as the home for this project was to have access to people and partners of his quality.”
While at Massachusetts Biotech Council, Mr. Nasrullah led business development and investor outreach programs. During his tenure, he created, launched and scaled five new programs targeting innovation and commercialization. His industry and research experience includes Genzyme Genetics, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Mayo Medical Ventures and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Mr. Nasrullah earned a law degree from Suffolk University Law School, a Master of Science degree in exercise physiology and metabolism from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
“The T1D Exchange platform connects the tools and resources needed to advance the understanding of type 1 diabetes, and it continues to grow in scope and impact,” said Dana Ball, Director of the Type 1 Diabetes Program at The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and Co-founder of the T1D Exchange. “Over the next several months, we will be unveiling new tools for people with type 1 diabetes and new opportunities for research and industry partners. The addition of Imran to the T1D Exchange team and his understanding of industry and academic alliances is an important part of that process and critical to the growth and long-term sustainability of the organization.”
Individuals with type 1 diabetes are being enrolled into the T1D Exchange Clinical Registry at 67 centers throughout the United States. There are presently more than 20,000 individuals enrolled. Participants span a wide range of ages, from infants to adults over 90 years of age, with representation across a broad spectrum of racial and ethnic groups. The registry also includes more than 100 participants who have had type 1 diabetes for more than 50 years. Since June 2011, the T1D Exchange has presented 15 abstracts at four different international diabetes conferences, including the American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions, the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).
About the T1D Exchange
The T1D Exchange is a unique platform for collaborative data collection and sharing that consists of three overlapping components: a clinic-based registry with clinical, biological and other real-life information from individuals with type 1 diabetes, a registry that is coordinated through a network of clinical centers and an interactive online community for individuals living with type 1 diabetes. The T1D Exchange is not-for-profit initiative founded through a three-year grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Type 1 Diabetes Program and developed in partnership with the Jaeb Center for Health Research. More information is available at www.t1dexchange.org.