Faculty & Scientific Staff
Kurt Griffin, MD, PhD
Dr. Griffin is a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist and internationally recognized leader in screening and identifying individuals at risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D). His work is driven by a deep commitment to improving the lives of people and families affected by autoimmune disease. With nearly two decades of experience in clinical research, he brings a patient-centered perspective to advancing earlier detection, prevention and treatment of T1D.
Since 2006, Dr. Griffin has been actively involved in T1D clinical trials. During 11 years at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, he built and led a robust clinical research program that included individuals across the lifespan and at every stage of T1D, from early risk to established disease. A hallmark of this work is the PLEDGE study, which integrates antibody-based screening for T1D into routine pediatric care visits across Sanford Health’s network of clinics. This innovative approach has helped shape best practices for identifying risk earlier and expanding access to screening beyond traditional research settings.
In 2024, he joined Benaroya Research Institute, where he serves as codirector of the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Clinical Center at BRI with Sandra Lord, MD. In this role, he supports local and national efforts to accelerate the development of therapies that can delay or prevent T1D. He also serves as codirector of the TrialNet Hub alongside Carla Greenbaum, MD, helping guide recruitment, operations and communication across the international TrialNet network.
