405-271-7000
Native American Partnership

Native American Partnership

Historical Foundation

In 2000, the University of Oklahoma's pediatric, board-certified endocrinologists partnered with Native American communities to provide diabetes and endocrinology services within their Tribal clinics. After the establishment of OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, these clinical services continued to grow.

One of Harold Hamm Diabetes Center’s first initiatives was community engagement. The center met with community leaders and members to understand their needs and partnering opportunities. Harold Hamm Diabetes Center and Oklahoma’s Native American communities partnered on several endeavors including the “Know Your Numbers” campaign, trainings, educational seminars, health fairs and research.

Partnering on Research

Through the years, many of the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center’s investigators partnered with Native American communities, tribes and nations on mutual research interests including prevention of diabetes, treatment of type 2 diabetes in youth and effects of diabetes during pregnancy.

  • TODAY Study
    Jeanie Tryggestad, M.D.
    Steven Chernausek, M.D.
    Kenneth Copeland, M.D.
  • Diabetes and Pregnancy
    Emily Jones, Ph.D.
    Laura Chalmers, M.D.
  • Effects of Diabetes in Babies
    Steven Chernausek, M.D.
  • MOVE Study
    Kevin Short, Ph.D

Endowed Chairs

Since 2003, the prevalence of overweight and obese children has risen in Oklahoma with the highest prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Native American children. Together, Drs. Fields and Short, along with colleagues in the CMRI Metabolic Research Program, are studying the root causes of obesity and diabetes with the ultimate goal of effective prevention of these major health problems.

David Fields, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) Chickasaw Nation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Diabetes

Kevin Short, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, CMRI Choctaw Nation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Diabetes

Jacob E. (Jed) Friedman, Ph.D., is the Director of OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, Vice Provost for Diabetes Programs at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the Chickasaw Nation Professor of Physiology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Dr. Friedman has an established record of collaborative research in humans, primates and mouse models of diabetes and obesity focused on pathways for developmental programming of metabolism from mothers to infants during the first 1000 days of life.

Research Engagement

Currently, Harold Hamm Diabetes Center is investigating research interests that aim to improve healthy behaviors including dietary and physical activities, identify key prenatal and infant effects of diabetes exposure, understand the link between diabetes and other chronic diseases and identify key genomic markers of diabetes. Harold Hamm Diabetes Center has over 40 full-time and associate research team members, from varying academic backgrounds, working together toward a cure for diabetes.

Collaborative Clinic Locations

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  • Cherokee Three Rivers Health - Muskogee
    Laura Chalmers, M.D.
  • Will Rogers Health Clinic Nowata
    Laura Chalmers, M.D.
  • Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital Tahlequah
    David Jelley, M.D.
  • Chickasaw Nation Diabetes Care Center - Ada
    Jeanie Tryggestad, M.D.
  • Chickasaw Ardmore Health Clinic
    Monica Marin, M.D.
  • Choctaw Nation Regional Medical Clinic - Durant
    Jonathan Meyer, M.D.
  • Choctaw Nation Diabetes Wellness Center - Talihina
    David Sparling, M.D., Ph.D.

Vision for Tomorrow

Harold Hamm Diabetes Center understands its quest towards a cure is not possible without valuable collaborations with communities and Tribal nations that are fundamentally devoted to pursuing a cure for today and future generations.

Contact Jennifer Chadwick, Harold Hamm Diabetes Center Native American Research Coordinator, for more information on how to build a partnership.

Jennifer Chadwick (Member of the Choctaw Nation)
HHDC Native American Research Coordinator
(405) 271-8001 ext. 43270