Mladen Vranic is best known for his work in glucose tracer methodology to study the effects of exercise and stress in diabetes. He came to Canada to work with Charles H Best, co-discoverer of insulin, and was first funded by the Banting Research Foundation in 1966 for his work on glucagon physiology. Glucagon plays a critical role in controlling glucose levels in the blood. He was the first to describe how exercise can improve or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Dr Vranic was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 2009, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010. He has received honorary degrees from several universities, including the prestigious Karolinska Institute Medical Faculty in Sweden.
