Centers bring together science and care to take on diabetes and metabolic disorders
The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas at San Antonio is home to a robust network of investigators and clinicians in the fields of diabetes, metabolism, nutrition and exercise. Two of the school’s centers, the Center for Molecular Metabolism and the newly opened Center for Excellence in Diabetes, serve as important hubs that foster communication and collaboration among investigators and help turn research findings into real-world impact.
Center for Molecular Metabolism
The Center for Molecular Metabolism (previously known as the Center for Metabolic Health) was established in 2023. Led by director Luke Norton, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes and Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, the center aims to strengthen collaboration among investigators, build research infrastructure, support trainee career development, and recruit new faculty in metabolic biology, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, kidney disease, sarcopenia, obesity and nutrition.
Research at the center focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic and endocrine dysfunction in diabetes and obesity, as well as liver, kidney and cardiovascular disease with the primary aim of identifying novel therapies and disease biomarkers.
Center for Excellence in Diabetes
The new Center for Excellence in Diabetes, which launched in the summer of 2025, will focus on advancing the clinical care of Type 2 diabetes through innovation, collaboration and research.
Led by founding director Carolina Solis-Herrera, MD, Division Chief of Endocrinology, the center is designed to be a hub for clinicians across disciplines to engage in cutting-edge clinical trials and develop forward-looking treatment strategies.
The Center for Excellence in Diabetes is expected to serve as a collaborative resource for advancing diabetes care in South Texas and beyond.
Centers and Institutes
Click below to see the full list of centers and institutes at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine.
