Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have type 2 diabetes. And Chiara Magnone has her sights set on changing what it means to live with the condition, as well as how common complications like chronic kidney disease are treated.

Chances are you know someone who has type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when the body isn't able to make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels in check. And while it can be managed with the right treatment and tools, for some living with type 2 diabetes, the condition can lead to blindness, stroke and even lower limb amputation. Diabetes was also the direct cause of an estimated 1.6 million deaths in 2016.

But Janssen, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, is on a mission to help change that statistic.

Leading the charge is Chiara Magnone, Ph.D., Vice President, Metabolic Complications, Janssen Research & Development, and Director of Janssen's new CVM Boston Development Center focused on preventing and treating potentially fatal diabetes-related diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Chiara Magnone, Ph.D.
Vice President, Metabolic Complications
Janssen Research & Development

Click here to read a Q&A with Dr. Magnone to learn more about her passion for research and her goal of one day finding a real cure for what she calls “the disease of the century.” 

This article first appeared on www.jnj.com in January 2019.