Kimber Simmons, MD, MS, is a JDRF-funded researcher, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and board-certified pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist specializing in type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes located on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado.
Dr. Simmons joined the faculty at the University of Colorado’s Barbara Davis Center in 2016 as a physician scientist studying the genetic, metabolic, and immunologic diversity of autoimmune disease, with a focus on T1D. She aspires to make a fundamental contribution to the prevention of and ultimately a cure for T1D. She received a JDRF Career Development Award to support her early work. JDRF’s leadership in T1D research includes strategies to help scientists establish careers in this field. Career development awards are just one example of how they foster the development and productivity of established independent researchers who will bridge the gap between the bench and the bedside, establishing themselves in areas that reflect the JDRF research emphasis areas.
She is an active investigator in the Autoimmunity Screening for Kids program and in Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet. She is also leading the JDRF-funded ASK the Experts program (type1experts.org), which provides confirmation testing, early-stage diabetes education and a monitoring plan to families who screen positive for one or more islet autoantibodies and their healthcare providers throughout the U.S. in close collaboration with T1Detect and TrialNet.
Dr. Simmons recently established the early T1D diabetes clinic and clinical immunotherapy program at the Barbara Davis Center, where patients in early stages of T1D are evaluated and administered early-stage T1D immunotherapies, such as teplizumab. As the Director of this program, she aims to optimize treatment in these patients and hopes that this program will continue to grow as other immunotherapies are approved to be administered in people with all stages of T1D.
Dr. Simmons' commitment to caring for individuals with T1D and working towards a cure is deeply personal as she has lived with T1D since she was 8 years old. She is an example of someone thriving with T1D. She is a former college athlete and loves being active outdoors with her husband and two children. With her active lifestyle, she is sympathetic to the roller coaster of T1D management and enjoys helping young athletes learn to better manage their blood sugars and improve their performance.
Honored as one of the remarkable women in T1D, Dr. Kimber Simmons stands as a testament to resilience and unwavering determination. Her story is one of passion, expertise, and a relentless pursuit of positive changes for those at risk for and living with T1D. As she continues to break new ground in research and patient care, her impact resonates far beyond the Barbara Davis Center, creating a brighter future for individuals affected by T1D.