ECDRE's mission is to promote and engage in engineering research and education for curing diabetes and its complications. By developing new knowledge, techniques and tools, and by collaborating with clinicians and investigators in basic sciences and medicine, ECDRE will improve the technologies and procedures available for treating patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The center will also develop educational and training tools for patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The tasks of the Center include:

1. Organization and coordination of education and engineering research activities that focus on various aspects of diabetes and its complications;
2. Organization of outreach activities to establish partnerships with schools of medicine, National Laboratories, hospitals, American Association of Diabetes Educators, and industry for research and education;
3. Promotion of IIT’s research capabilities in this area; and
4. Development of robust externally funded research, education, and outreach programs on the treatment and cure of diabetes and its complications.

The Center will address pertinent national and international needs for developing new paradigms and methods for addressing the challenges posed by an alarming increase in obesity and diabetes. Specific application areas will be targeted for making fundamental and important contributions.