William Tamborlane, MD

In Memoriam: 1946-2026

William V. Tamborlane, MD, received his undergraduate BS degree from Georgetown University and was also a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine, where he completed his residency in pediatrics before going to Yale as a postdoctoral fellow in pediatric endocrinology. His scientific accomplishments over the past 45 years have established his international reputation as one of the most highly regarded clinical scientists in childhood diabetes and related disorders. He has published more than 1,000 original articles, chapters and reviews in the area of diabetes. Major accomplishments have included pioneering studies in the development of insulin pump therapy, direction of the Yale Center in the NIDDK-sponsored DCCT/EDIC and GRADE studies, and investigations of diabetes-induced defects in counterregulatory hormone responses to hypoglycemia. The prime focus of his work has been in patient-oriented studies in type 1 and type 2 diabetes and related metabolic and endocrine disorders. The hallmark of his research has been to overcome metabolic, physiologic and psychological obstacles to successful management of diabetes. Current research effort was focused on applying recent advances in diabetes technology towards the development of an artificial pancreas for individuals with type 1 diabetes and the study of new treatments of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. He was the recipient of many awards and honors and was frequently listed in publications of distinction, including American Men and Women of Science, The Best Doctors in America, America’s Top Doctors and America’s Top Pediatricians. In 2006 and 2011, he was awarded the Mary Tyler Moore and S. Robert Levine Award for Excellence in Clinical Research in Type 1 Diabetes by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He has also received the 2009 Diabetes Technology Society’s Diabetes Technology Leadership Award, the 2010 American Diabetes Association Outstanding Physician Clinician Award, the 2014 National Award for Career Achievement and Contributions to Clinical, the Translational Science by ACRT/SCTS/AFMR, the 2014 Diabetes Prize for Achievement by the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent and the 2017 American Diabetes Association award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Diabetes Research. He has served on the FDA’s Endocrine Advisory Board, on the National Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association, was the first Steering Committee Chair of the Diabetes Research in Children Network, was the Founder and Chair of the Pediatric Diabetes Consortium and former Vice Chair (for Pediatrics) of the T1D Exchange Clinic Registry. He lead a multidisciplinary team of physicians, diabetes nurse educators, dieticians and social workers that cared for more than 1000 children, adolescents and young adults with diabetes. He was also the mentor of many young physician scientists in their training and career development in clinical research in diabetes.