Dr. Daniel Mintz, founding scientific director of Diabetes Research Institute, passes away
Scientists, physicians and countless patients mourn the passing of Daniel H. Mintz, M.D., emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and scientific director emeritus of the Diabetes Research Institute. As the founding scientific director and chief academic officer of the DRI from 1974 to 1996, his vision led to the creation of the Institute, which houses the research program, education center, and diabetes clinical care management program.
Daniel H. Mintz, M.D.
Dr. Mintz, who died on April 18, had a long and distinguished career in diabetes research and clinical care. He was the first chief of endocrinology and metabolism at the Miller School of Medicine and was responsible for recruiting the faculty who helped organize the clinical care, research and teaching programs for medical students.
Early on, Dr. Mintz was one of the world leaders responsible for providing key new insights in clinical management of pregnant women with diabetes. Later, he turned his interest to islet cell transplantation, and his team grew to be world leaders in the biologic replacement of insulin-producing cells that ultimately benefitted patients.
That important progress was the underlying basis for the commitment of North America’s Building and Construction Trades to fund and build the 87,000-square-foot Diabetes Research Institute – a building, Dr. Mintz wrote, “that represents hope to the millions of men, women and children who suffer from diabetes, and who can now look toward a future full of promise.”
The DRI extends condolences to Dr. Mintz’s wife, Marge Kleiman Mintz, and their entire family. In a message of tribute, DRI Director Camillo Ricordi, M.D., Stacy Joy Goodman Professor of Surgery, and DRI Foundation CEO Sean Kramer describe Dr. Mintz as “a brilliant scientist, driven with the spirit of inquiry and the constant pursuit of academia. He was a passionate physician who genuinely cared about his patients and their futures. And he had a gentle, compassionate nature, always willing to ask, ‘What can I do to help you?’
“And he helped so many.
“Dr. Mintz envisioned a place where researchers representing multiple disciplines could come together in one setting to work on the same issue all at once. That vision became reality with the construction of the Diabetes Research Institute. The goal was always to find a cure for diabetes.
“We will keep that torch of hope that he ignited long ago moving forward until we reach the finish line.”
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the family will postpone memorial services to a safer time.