McMaster University professor Dr. Hertzel Gerstein is the recipient of the Canadian Diabetes Association’s 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his considerable commitment to, and achievements in, diabetes research.

The award is bestowed upon a prominent Canadian physician or medical scientist who is a leader in diabetes research and has made long-standing contributions to the Canadian diabetes community.

Gerstein, professor of medicine and clinical epidemiology and biostatistics of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, will be presented with the award in Vancouver on Friday, Oct. 12 during the association’s annual meeting, which is held jointly with the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

As the award recipient, Gerstein will give a lecture on the ORIGIN Trial, of which he was principal investigator. The trial discovered long-term insulin use does not harm people with diabetes or pre-diabetes or put them at risk of heart attacks, strokes or cancer.