Dr Ralph A. DeFronzo receives The Prince Mahidol 2022 Award in Medicine

An internationally respected leader in medicine and science has won worldwide recognition after receiving a prestigious award today at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Ralph A. DeFronzo, MD, deputy director of University Health’s Texas Diabetes Institute and professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio, accepted the prestigious Prince Mahidol 2022 Award in Medicine from King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. The Prince Mahidol Award is presented annually to individuals or institutions who contribute to worldwide medical achievements for the benefit of mankind.

Dr. DeFronzo is an acclaimed diabetes expert and scientific researcher. His contributions to the causes and treatment of Type 2 diabetes have produced some of the most widely used medicines to control the disease, including metformin and recent SGLT2 inhibitors. Under the leadership of Dr. DeFronzo, much of the research to develop these treatments was done in San Antonio at the Texas Diabetes Institute. 

“The highly regarded international award is given to an outstanding researcher each year. Dr. DeFronzo has made enormous clinical, medical and research contributions. This recognition is very well deserved,” said Dr. Eugenio Cersosimo, medical director of clinical research at the Texas Diabetes Institute and professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio.

Dr. DeFronzo is one of the leaders who helped establish University Health’s Texas Diabetes Institute (TDI), which opened in 1999. Today, the institute offers patients in South Texas comprehensive diabetic care, including endocrinology, wound care, pharmacy, health education, fitness center and more. Dr. DeFronzo’s unwavering desire to find answers about what causes diabetes and how to treat the complex disease has led to the team’s success with numerous breakthroughs for Type 2 diabetes treatment.

“University Health, UT Health San Antonio and the whole San Antonio community can take great pride in the scientific research being done at TDI. Many great discoveries have emerged from TDI under the visionary leadership of Dr. DeFronzo,” said Dr. Curtis Triplitt, research pharmacist at the Texas Diabetes Institute and clinical professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio. “Dr. DeFronzo has collaborated and trained experts from numerous countries in scientific research, including the skilled team he has assembled at TDI. He has spent his career pursuing excellence in scientific research to combat this debilitating illness. Dr. DeFronzo is known as the top researcher in Type 2 diabetes management in the world, so his receipt of this award is no surprise and extremely well deserved.”

Dr. DeFronzo was presented with The Prince Mahidol Award today in Bangkok. He participated in several special events in Thailand, culminating with his acceptance of the esteemed award. The Mahidol dynasty is known for its contributions to medicine. The Mahidols oversee medical services in Thailand, which makes them acutely aware of the significance of Dr. DeFronzo’s work to tackle diabetes.

As an epicenter for Type 2 diabetes and with TDI situated in the heart of the zip code with one of the highest diabetes rates in the city, San Antonio is fortunate to have the leadership of Dr. DeFronzo. His work leading discoveries and developing new treatments has profoundly improved the lives of millions of people with Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes worldwide.