Scientists and podcasters tackle how a scientist in Iran overcame great odds and forever changed diabetes diagnoses
Sanford Burnham Prebys scientists Ani Deshpande, PhD, and Pamela Itkin-Ansari, PhD, recently released the fourth episode of their podcast exploring groundbreaking discoveries in science and medicine.
The fourth episode focuses on how sugar silently alters our bodies. It includes the unlikely story of how an Iranian scientist made a serendipitous discovery in Tehran that changed diabetes diagnosis forever. His work laid the foundation for the hemoglobin A1c test that is conducted tens of millions of times each year to guide diabetes diagnoses as well as health care and lifestyle decisions.
In March 2025, Deshpande and Itkin-Ansari launched The Discovery Dialogues Podcast to glowing reviews. Their initial episodes were hailed as “masterpieces” by upcoming podcast guest Adam Heller, PhD, the scientist and inventor who revolutionized blood sugar testing and laid the groundwork for modern continuous glucose monitoring systems.
Learn more about the scientists and podcasters behind The Discovery Dialogues Podcast.
Their new episode is available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.