Roger Unger, who studied the hormonal underpinnings of diabetes for more than 60 years, died on August 22 at age 96. During his long tenure at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center that ended in July when he retired, he discovered the roles of the hormones glucagon and insulin in controlling blood sugar levels in the body.
Born in 1924 in New York, Unger attended Yale University and Columbia University during his medical training before spending the majority of his professional career at UTSW, where he was one of the longest-serving faculty members. He was the founding director of the Touchstone Diabetes Center, and his work helped elevate the institution to a world leader in the study and treatment of diabetes and related endocrine disorders. For his significant contributions to the field, he was awarded several honors, including the Banting Medal (1975), the Claude Bernard Memorial Medal (1980), ...
